https://ijmrr.medresearch.in/index.php/ijmrr/article/view/973

Abstract

Background: Bancroftian Filariasisisatropical and subtropical disease caused by Wuchereriabancrofti and transmitted by the Culexmosquitoes.The diagnosis of it is conventionally made by demonstrating microfilariae in the peripheral blood smear. Microfilariae and adult filarial worm have been incidentally detected in fine need leaspirates of swelling at various sites in amicrofilaremic patients. Currently 1.4 billion people world wide are at risk of being infected. In India 600 million people are at risk of filariasis.Cytology has important role in the diagnosis of occult Filariasis. Objectives: To discuss the role of FNAC in diagnosing occult Filariasis. Material and Methods: This is a retrospective study carried out in the Department of Pathology at SRMS IMS, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Aspiration was made by 22-23 gauze needle, smears were stained by Papanicolaou and May-Grünwald Giemsa stain. Result: 16 cases of cytological specimens incidentally showed microfilaria without any clinical suspicion which included breast lumps (three cases), thyroid swelling (three cases), lymph nodes (two cases), subcutaneous swelling (two cases), ascitic fluid (one case), pleural fluid (one case), lung mass (one case), scrotal swelling (one case), cervical smear (one case) and space occupying lesion in liver (one case). Fragments of adult worm were reported in four cases. Only one patient with scrotal swelling had microfilaremia.Conclusion: FNAC can play an important role in diagnosing occult Filariasis in clinically unsuspected cases.