Yonsei Med J.  2000 Apr;41(2):285-288. 10.3349/ymj.2000.41.2.285.

The first Korean case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis

• Lee KJ
• Park GM
• Yong TS
• Im KI
• Jung SH
• Jeong NY
• Lee WY
• Yong SJ
• Shin KC

• KMID: 1758523
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2000.41.2.285

Abstract

Human pulmonary dirofilariasis has been documented from many parts of the world, but not in Korea so far. We experienced a patient of pulmonary dirofilariasis who had visited a local clinic because of chest pain for 1 month. On chest radiograph, a coin lesion of 2 cm diameter and enlargement of the mediastinal lymph node were shown. An exploratory lung resection was done. Pathologically the lesion was a pulmonary dirofilariasis complicated with necrotic pneumonia, fibrosis, and infarction. At the center of the lesion, degenerated nematode sections with multilayered cuticle, thick musculature, and bilateral internal ridges on each side were found, which was identified to be Dirofilaria immitis. This is the first report of human pulmonary dirofilariasis in Korea.

Keyword

Pulmonary dirofilariasis; Dirofilaria immitis; infarction

MeSH Terms

Case Report
Dirofilariasis/pathology*
Dirofilariasis/diagnosis
Human
Lung Diseases, Parasitic/pathology*
Lung Diseases, Parasitic/diagnosis
Male
Middle Age