Dirofilariasis of Human Lung

Abstract

Two rare cases of human pulmonary involvement by parasites of the genus Dirofilaria are reported and 3 other cases from the literature are reviewed. In the lungs, this nematode is typically lodged in a small pulmonary artery and produces an ischemic infarct with an eosinophilic pneumonitis and endarterltis. Despite its size the parasite may escape recognition and should be considered in such a pulmonary lesion. Patients have done well after a conservative pulmonary resection and have had no evidence of recurrent disease apparently because man is an unsuitable host for this parasite.