A FIRST AUTOCHTNOUS HUMAN CASE OF THE LONGSTANDINDG MICROFILARAEMIA DUE TO DIROFILARIA REPENS IN RUSSIA AND A FIRST EXPERIENCE OF COMBINED THERAPY OF DIROFILARIASIS REPENS

Abstract

A case of the longstandindg microfilaraemia due to Dirofilaria repens is presented as a 57-years-old female . This is the first report of the longstandindg microfilaraemia in a Russian patient due to infection of D. repens. The microfilariae of D. repens were detected due to multiple investigations of fresh drops of blood. The longstandindg microfilaraemia due to D. repens is discussed regarding their role in human pathology. As the larvae mature into adult wormes they migrate through blood vessels and the subdermal connective tissues causing pruritis, oedematous lesions on the skin, itching and pain as they pass beneath the conjunctivae and penetrate internal organs. The patient was successfully treated with doxycycline, albendazole and diethylcarbamazine.