First detection of human dirofilariasis in South Africa

Abstract

Humans are occasionally inadvertently infected with dirofilariae, the zoonotic nematodes. We report two cases of human dirofilariasis in South Africa, an area apparently non-endemic for this infection. Dirofilariasis is frequently misdiagnosed, so increased awareness of this entity in areas that are non-endemic is essential for prevention of inappropriate investigations and invasive therapy.

Keywords

• Dirofilaria repens, zoonotic filariasis, ocular dirofilariasis, South Africa