ABSTRACT
Human subcutaneous dirofilariasis is a rare infection caused by filarial worms of the genus Dirofilaria. The parasites are transmitted to man by zooanthropophilic bloodsucking insects and the infection is manifested as subcutaneous nodules. Excisional biopsy is both diagnostic and therapeutic. We herein report three cases of human subcutaneous dirofilariasis diagnosed, over a period of ten years (1991-2000), in North East Greece. The patients, two women and one man, were all adults between 32 and 67 years of age. In two cases the infection was manifested as breast nodules, while in the third case as a painful nodule in the axillary region. The excisional biopsy showed the presence of an adult Dirofilaria, identified as Dirofilaria (Nochtiella) repens. It is emphasised that both clinicians and pathologists should have an increased awareness of this clinicopathologic entity and include dirofilariasis in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with breast or subcutaneous nodules.
Subject(s)
Axilla/parasitology , Breast Diseases/parasitology , Dirofilariasis/diagnosis , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Using the biomagnetometer superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), the magnetic signals relating to spontaneous uterine activity were measured for the first time in 25 women with uterine leiomyomas, and 12 women with normal, non-leiomyomatous, uteri. Magnetic radiation, in the range of low frequency (below 2 Hz), was of low amplitudes in normal uterine tissues and of high amplitudes in benign leiomyomas. The observed differences were confirmed by the corresponding power spectra obtained from the statistical Fourier analysis. It is suggested that biomagnetic measurements may facilitate the detection of uterine leiomyomas in equivocal cases.
