Case Report: Periorbital Filariasis Caused by Brugia malayi

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Dec;103(6):2336-2338. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0853. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Abstract

Brugia malayi is a lymphatic nematode that accounts for approximately 10% of lymphatic filariasis cases worldwide. It is endemic in several countries in South and Southeast Asia. In Thailand, B. malayi is endemic in the southern region. The extralymphatic presentation of B. malayi is rare. Here, we report the case of a woman residing in the central region of Thailand who presented with an erythematous periorbital nodule at the left medial canthal area caused by lymphatic filaria. A viable sexually mature filarial adult was removed from the lesion. The nematode species was identified as B. malayi by histology staining and DNA sequencing of the partial mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. As far as we know, this is the first case report of B. malayi presenting with a periorbital nodule that has occurred in a disease non-endemic area of Thailand with possibly a zoonotic origin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Brugia malayi / genetics
  • Brugia malayi / isolation & purification*
  • DNA, Helminth / genetics
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / diagnostic imaging
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / pathology
  • Elephantiasis, Filarial / surgery*
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / diagnostic imaging
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / pathology
  • Eye Infections, Parasitic / surgery*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / diagnostic imaging
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / pathology
  • Lacrimal Apparatus / surgery*
  • Orbit
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Thailand
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • DNA, Helminth
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, ribosomal, 12S