ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Pulmonary coin lesion caused by Dirofilaria immitis – a report of two cases with a minireview of the literature
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Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Submission date: 2021-06-10
Final revision date: 2021-10-07
Acceptance date: 2021-10-31
Publication date: 2023-03-20
Corresponding author
Maja Jerše
Maja Jerše
Institute of Pathology
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ljubljana
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Pol J Pathol 2022;73(4):352-358
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Dirofilariasis is a rare zoonosis, transmitted from infested dogs or other carnivorous animals to humans via mosquitoes.
Two male patients with a solitary, peripheral, well-defined, coin-like pulmonary lesion in the right upper lobe were presented.
Rapid enlargement of the lesion within a few months suggested malignancy, resulting in surgical removal. Microscopic examination of the resected lung revealed necrotic circumscribed lesions with embolized parasites in the vessels.
Both parasites were females of the species Dirofilaria immitis. They represent the first reported cases of pulmonary dirofilariasis in Slovenia. Awareness of this entity is important in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary coin lesions.
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