Subcutaneous Dirofilariasis in a Returning Traveler From Costa Rica

Dirofilaria genus is the most common cause of zoonotic filariasis. It typically causes cardiopulmonary disease in canines, but in humans, it can cause pulmonary, subcutaneous, and ocular disease. In this report, we present a case of a young woman who traveled to Costa Rica and subsequently developed a subcutaneous nodule. A biopsy performed in our patient showed dirofilariasis, possibly Dirofilaria tenuis. Most human dirofilariases are caused by Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. This is the first case of possible D. tenuis in Central America. The animal reservoir (North American raccoon) has been described in Costa Rica, highlighting the importance of reservoir distribution in human disease. Correspondence to: Jose Antonio Suarez, MD, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud, Calle 35 y Av Justo Arosemena, Panama City, Panama. E-mail: jsuarez@gorgas.gob.pa. The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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