Incidental Finding of Microfilaria in Lymph Node Cytology: A Case Report

Filariasis is a global public health problem. We routinely examine it in peripheral smears made from samples collected during the night. Though the prevalence is high, microfilariae are rarely found in cytology smears. A lymph node presenting as a filarial nodule is an unusual occurrence. Also, lymph node fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) with a finding of microfilariae is uncommon. We would like to report the case of incidental microfilariae finding in a patient who presented with a supraclavicular lymph node mass. The patient presented with a right supraclavicular lymph node mass of size 2 cm × 2 cm and severe fever during the night for six months. The USG-neck region revealed enlarged lymph nodes in the right supraclavicular region. She was provisionally diagnosed as a case of cervical lymph node swelling under evaluation. However, on ultrasound-guided FNAC of the lymph node, microfilariae were found incidentally. In cases where clinical presentations of filariasis are absent, FNAC may aid in the diagnosis of microfilariae in the lymph node.

Filariasis presenting as isolated pleural effusion: A case report and mini review

Isolated pleural effusion is a rare manifestation of filariasis that mimics tuberculosis, especially in endemic regions. We describe a case of lymphocytic and exudative pleural effusion showing microfilaria on pleural fluid cytology. A retrospective review of all cases of filarial pleural effusion reported after 2000 was conducted to evaluate the association between filariasis and pleural effusion as well as to screen the features that can help in accurate detection of these patients. The analysis suggested a causal association between the parasite and the development of pleural effusion with a high sensitivity of pleural fluid cytology for diagnosis.

Microfilaria in achylous hematuria: Can it imitate urolithiasis?

Wuchereria bancrofti is the major species resulting in filarial cases in India. Filariasis may present with various clinical presentations: asymptomatic, microfilaremia, lymphedema, acute adenolymphangitis and chronic lymphatic disease. Microfilariae of W. bancrofti have been detected in various clinical samples, but incidental detection of microfilaria in achylous urine is a rare finding with unexplained pathology. We report a case of microfilaria in achylous urine of a 30-year-old female who presented with pain abdomen and ureteric calculus on ultrasonography.