Unresolving pericarditis: Suspect filariasis in the tropics
Filariasis, a mosquito-borne disease, is wide spread in India. While laboratory diagnosis has been conventionally done by demonstrating microfilaria in peripheral blood smears, occasionally they are reported in various body fluids including pericardial fluid. We report the case of 33-year-old man wi...
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Published in | Indian journal of medical microbiology Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 73 - 75 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
India
Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Association of Medical Microbiology
01.01.2010
Elsevier B.V Elsevier Limited |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Filariasis, a mosquito-borne disease, is wide spread in India. While
laboratory diagnosis has been conventionally done by demonstrating
microfilaria in peripheral blood smears, occasionally they are reported
in various body fluids including pericardial fluid. We report the case
of 33-year-old man with severe dyspnoea and chest pain, referred from a
private nursing home with a provisional diagnosis of unresolving
pericarditis. Pericardial tap revealed massive pericardial effusion
with actively motile microfilariae. No microfilariae (Mf) were seen in
the peripheral blood. Haemorrhagic effusion resolved completely with
DEC. Though relatively uncommon, tropical diseases must always be
considered in the etiological diagnosis of pericardial effusion. |
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ISSN: | 0255-0857 1998-3646 |
DOI: | 10.4103/0255-0857.58738 |