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Human dirofilariosis: The report of subcutaneous Dirofilaria repens infection in the Slovak Republic

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Helminthologia

Summary

Dirofilariosis is a vector-borne disease that is spreading in Europe from the southern endemic regions to the northern countries, including Slovakia. The dog parasites Dirofilaria immitis and D. repens are zoonotic agents, responsible for the development of human pulmonary and subcutaneous dirofilariosis, respectively. The present paper reports the third case of human dirofilariosis in Slovakia caused by D. repens. The pacient, a 41-year-old woman, was referred with tumour process in the subcutaneous area of the right forearm. Within 14 days the USG confirmed the rapid increase of the nodule from 20 × 10 mm to 30 × 25 mm. The surgical extirpation of the tumour was indicated. Histological examination revealed the formation with eosinofilic rime and the presence of a worm in the centre, detected as D. repens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University in Martin, Martin, Slovakia

    E. Nováková & J. Kompaníková

  2. Parasitological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01, Košice, Slovak Republic

    J. Kinčeková, J. Pavlinová & E. Dvorožňáková

  3. Institute of Pathological Anatomy, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University in Martin, Martin, Slovakia

    K. Adamicová

  4. Institute of Public Health, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University in Martin, Martin, Slovakia

    V. Švihrová

  5. Clinic of Infectology and Travel Medicine, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University in Martin, Martin, Slovakia

    K. Šimeková

  6. Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty Hospital in Žilina, Žilina, Slovakia

    J. Krause

Authors
  1. E. Nováková
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  2. J. Kinčeková
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  3. K. Adamicová
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  4. J. Kompaníková
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  5. V. Švihrová
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  6. K. Šimeková
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  7. J. Krause
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  8. J. Pavlinová
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  9. E. Dvorožňáková
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Correspondence to J. Kinčeková.

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Nováková, E., Kinčeková, J., Adamicová, K. et al. Human dirofilariosis: The report of subcutaneous Dirofilaria repens infection in the Slovak Republic. Helminthologia 48, 13–16 (2011). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11687-011-0003-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11687-011-0003-9

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