Myeloblasts and atypical bone marrow: Fortuitous discovery of the filiarial nematode loa loa in the bone marrow during a work-up for prolymphocytic T-cell leukemia

Med Sante Trop. 2019 May 1;29(2):133-134. doi: 10.1684/mst.2019.0864.

Abstract

Loiasis is a chronic cutaneous disease caused by a filarial nematode for whom humans are the only definitive host: Loa loa, an African eyeworm transmitted by Chrysops flies. The parasite is seen on blood smears, in the skin, or during its ocular migration, but rarely on a bone marrow smear. We report the case of a 57-year-old Gabonese woman whose bone marrow aspiration during a work-up for T-cell leukemia fortuitously found Loa loa filariae.

Keywords: Filiaris; Gabon; Loa loa; bone marrow.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow / parasitology*
  • Bone Marrow Examination
  • Female
  • Granulocyte Precursor Cells
  • Humans
  • Incidental Findings
  • Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / complications
  • Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / parasitology
  • Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / pathology
  • Loa / isolation & purification*
  • Loiasis / complications
  • Loiasis / parasitology*
  • Middle Aged