The following was seen in a Giemsa-stained thick peripheral blood film from an immigrant from Congo. The patient reports focal swelling and tenderness in his left arm, but is otherwise asymptomatic.
First, this is a sheathed microfilaria. The cephalic space and empty caudal space were evident. The sheath did not stain pink like the one of B. malayii. The nuclei extends to the end of the interior end. The morphologic features and the geographic location were consistent with Loa loa.
Thick blood film, allowing microfilaria of Loa loa depicting the ghost of the sheath and the nuclei coming to the tip of the tail. Microfilariae of Loa loa have body nuclei that are continuous from tip to tail. This distinguishes them from microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi which have extended sheaths on both ends. I thank Dr. BOBBI PRITT for the initiative concerning the proposed cases.
Marco Ligozzi Dip patology and diagnostic University of Verona Italy marco.ligozzi@univr.it
Microfilaria of Loa loa
ReplyDeleteFirst, this is a sheathed microfilaria. The cephalic space and empty caudal space were evident. The sheath did not stain pink like the one of B. malayii. The nuclei extends to the end of the interior end. The morphologic features and the geographic location were consistent with Loa loa.
ReplyDeleteFlorida Fan
Filaria is sheathed, body nuclei extend to the tip of the tail. It looks like Loa loa.
ReplyDeleteThick blood film, allowing microfilaria of Loa loa depicting the ghost of the sheath and the nuclei coming to the tip of the tail. Microfilariae of Loa loa have body nuclei that are continuous from tip to tail. This distinguishes them from microfilariae of Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi which have extended sheaths on both ends.
ReplyDeleteI thank Dr. BOBBI PRITT for the initiative concerning the proposed cases.
Marco Ligozzi
Dip patology and diagnostic University of Verona Italy
marco.ligozzi@univr.it
geographical location, extended sheath at tail, body nuclei extending throughout body length, all usggestive of Loa Loa microfilaria.
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ReplyDeleteLoa loa microfilariae
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