Case report: Dirofilarial infection of the face

Abstract

An 18-year-old male patient from Ukraine, living in Germany for 2 years, presented with a painless subcutaneous swelling on the left cheek that had been present for several months. Finally, the diagnosis of subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens was confirmed by 12S rRNA gene PCR and sequencing from tissue by nematode-specific PCRs followed by sequencing after surgical resection of the lesion. Microfilaremia was ruled out and no further treatment was required. Subcutaneous filariasis continues to spread in Central Europe due to climate change, the expansion of vector mosquitoes and the mobility of humans and dogs.