An unusual case of genital filariasis of the testicular tunics in an Italian patient

At least 27 million men present with urogenital manifestations of genital filariasis (GF). Although there is a large burden of GF in residents in endemic regions, infection in short-term travellers and in non-endemic areas is rare. We report the case of a 75-year-old Italian man referred to our institution for a testicular discomfort. Clinical examination and ultrasound detected a mass of 40×18 mm in the scrotum without signs of varicocele, hydrocele and testicular or epididymal abnormalities. After ineffective medical treatment, the patient underwent surgical excision. Histology demonstrated filarial granuloma with thick cuticles pathognomonic of an adult worm in the testicular tunics. Surgery has a fundamental role in localized cases of GF to remove nematodes from the fibrotic nodules. The present manuscript describes a singular case of GF observed in Italy in a non-immigrant patient with evidence of remnants of an adult worm in the testicular tunics. SIMILAR CASES PUBLISHED: 11

Aspetti interculturali nella comunicazione medico-paziente Il punto di vista del personale sanitario e dei pazienti

Healthcare institutions are among the contexts which are heavily characterised by interlingual and intercultural contact. In these contexts communicative ‘short circuits’ can occur due to incomprehension resulting from linguistic and cultural difficulties. Such situations can compromise founding principles of medicine, amongst which equal opportunities for patients’ treatment, scrupulous attention and providing accurate information. The study investigates the perception of the effectiveness of mutual doctor-immigrant patient communication, the linguistic-cultural ‘imagery’ that results from it and the nature and/or absence of specific communication strategies.

Chronic strongyloidiasis: a case of B symptoms and recurrent asthma exacerbations

Strongyloidiasis is one of the neglected helminths infection that is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Due to its variable presentation, its diagnosis is often a challenge. We report a case of an immigrant patient with asthma who later developed eosinophilia. After 3 years of unexplained eosinophilia, he developed B symptoms and had frequent asthma exacerbations. He was later diagnosed with strongyloidiasis and treated with ivermectin. His B symptoms resolved, and his asthma exacerbations decreased significantly. Due to the frequent use of corticosteroids in asthma exacerbations, this case illustrates the importance of Strongyloides screening in asthmatics from high-risk regions. It also displays the importance of further investigating patients with asthma who develop eosinophilia and have frequent exacerbations while on optimal asthma treatment. Having a high index of suspicion is essential when making this diagnosis, as clinical presentation is often variable and does not follow a standard time course.