Brugia-Like Filarial Infection Acquired in the United States

Jacob J. SchlesingerDepartments of Medicine and Pathology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tacoma, Washington 98431

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Jay G. DuboisDepartments of Medicine and Pathology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tacoma, Washington 98431

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Paul C. BeaverDepartments of Medicine and Pathology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tacoma, Washington 98431

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A mature male filarial worm was found in sections of an enlarged, painful retroauricular lymph node removed from an 18-year-old resident of New Jersey. On the basis of its morphology and location in an obstructed lymph vessel, the worm was identified as probably a species of Brugia, possibly Brugia beaveri, a parasite of the raccoon. The infection in this case resembled one reported earlier from the same general area of the country, New York City. In the absence of demonstrable microfilaremia in this and other cases of zoonotic filariasis acquired in the United States, specific drug treatment after surgical removal of the worm is usually unnecessary.

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