The first Korean case of human pulmonary dirofilariasis

Human pulmonary dirofilariasis has been documented from many parts of the w orld, bur not in Korea so far. We experienced a patient of pulmonary dirofi lariasis who had visited a local clinic because of chest pain for 1 month. On chest radiograph, a coin lesion of 2 cm diameter and enlargement of the mediastinal lymph node were shown. An exploratory lung resection was done. Pathologically the lesion was a pulmonary dirofilariasis complicated with n ecrotic pneumonia, fibrosis, and infarction. Ar the center of the lesion, d egenerated nematode sect ions with multilayered cuticle, thick musculature, and bilateral internal ridges on each side were found, which was identifie d to be Dirofilaria immitis. This is the first report of human pulmonary di rofilariasis in Korea.