Human Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria(Nochtiella) repens: Clinically Suspected as CutaneousFascioliasis

Background: the significant increase in the number of human subcutaneous dirofilariasis in recent years, suggests theappearance of a new health problem in the old world with most cases reported from mediterranean countries. besides thepresent case, eleven cases of human subcutaneous dirofilariasis have been detected in iran, three of which belong to gilan province, northern iran.methods: we present an autochthonous case of subcutaneous dirofilaria repens infection in a 39-year-old woman fromkouchesfahan district of gilan province, manifest as an itching and highly erythmatous subcutaneous tender nodule on herright thigh. the nodule was excised by a dermatologist as a suspected case of cutaneous fascioliasis.results: microscopic examination of the excised nodule revealed the presence of d. repens.conclusion: since gilan province is the endemic region for human fascioliasis and several cases of cutaneous fascioliasishave been detected in the province during last two decades, we propose the physicians and pathologists to take in to accountsubcutaneous dirofilariasis as an emergent zoonosis causing dermal and visceral lesions which may sometimes misdiagnoseas malignant tumors, and also as differential diagnosis of cutaneous fascioliasis.