Persistent Microfilaremia Caused by Dirofilaria asiatica Infection in 2-Year-Old Child, Sri Lanka, 2024.
Ushani Atapattu, Indeewarie E Gunaratna, Lucas G Huggins et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 2-year-old child in Sri Lanka was found to have a patent infection with Dirofilaria asiatica, a canine filarioid implicated in zoonotic human infection. Microfilariae persisted after two rounds of diethylcarbamazine treatment. The report identifies the infection and its persistence despite treatment; the abstract provides no further clinical findings or outcome.
What made this case unusual
The infection was patent, with persistent microfilaremia after two rounds of diethylcarbamazine in a young child.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In a child with suspected zoonotic filariasis, persistent microfilaremia after diethylcarbamazine should prompt consideration of Dirofilaria asiatica.