Adult filarial worm by fine needle aspiration cytology of breast lumps.

摘要

Wuchereria bancrofti is the most widely distributed human filarial parasite, affecting nearly 120 million people in the world. It is mostly distributed in India, China, Far East, major portion of Africa, South America and Central America. In India lymphatic filariasis is endemic in most of the states especially the coastal ones.1 Odisha is one such zone, having a heavy infestation of filariasis. The adult worm of W bancrofti causes different pathologic lesions due to its migration through the lymphatic system. During migration the adult worm settles in a lymph node or large lymphatics for its growth and usually produces lesions in the lower limb, spermatic cord, testes, epididymes, retroperitonium and rarely the female breast by involving the lymphatics of the respective areas. Detection of microfilaria by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been reported by many authors,but aspiration of adult filarial worms by FNAC is reported from only a few centers in India. We report herewith 4 cases of breast FNAC, 3 of which revealed adult filarial worms; the fourth one had only microfilaria in the aspirate.