Sunday, May 11, 2014

Case of the Week 303

Dear Readers,
In honor of Mother's Day, I have a special case for you:

A firm nodule measuring approximately 2 cm in diameter was removed from the scalp of  a man from Southern Venezuela.  The following histologic sections show the adult female (mother) worm and her offspring.  In this infection, the adult worms stay in one location while the migrating offspring wreak havoc in the host.  Diagnosis?

Nodule, H&E, 20x total magnification


Cross-sections of the female worm, H&E, 100x
 H&E, 200x



































Some poor mothers, they just can’t seem to win
When your kids are parasites writhing around in the skin
You try to keep them snug down in the uterine tubes
Until a blackfly comes along looking for food




5 comments:

Unknown said...

histo and history consistent with Onchocerciasis

Sri said...

I agree, its Onchocerca volvulus

Unknown said...

Histopathological examination together with clinical manifestation and geographical context support the diagnosis od ONCHOCERCIASIS. BTW, congratulations for nice sections with female worms and microfilariae inside the uterus and spread in the tissues as well.

Anonymous said...

Agree,Onchocerciasis. Havoc caused by its microfilarial offsprisng

mona said...

onchcerca volovulus