Lymph scrotum: an unusual urological presentation of lymphatic filariasis. A case series study Linfoescroto: apresentação rara de filaríase linfática. Estudo retrospectivo

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Ana Maria Aguiar-Santos, Marcela Leal-Cruz, Maria José Netto, Arturo Carrera, Guilherme Lima, Abraham Rocha
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2009
• Subjects: Lymph scrotum; Lymphatic filariasis; Morbidity control; Scrotal lesion; Wuchereria bancrofti; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652009000400001; https://doaj.org/article/59f99ad9b6654919bd7492b9043b02dd

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) causes a wide range of clinical signs and symptoms, including urogenital manifestations. Transmission control and disability/morbidity management/control are the two pillars of the overall elimination strategy for LF. Lymph scrotum is an unusual urological clinical presentation of LF with important medical, psychological, social and economic repercussions. A retrospective case series study was conducted on outpatients attended at the National Reference Service for Filariasis, in an endemic area for filariasis (Recife, Brazil), between 2000 and 2007. Over this period, 6,361 patients were attended and seven cases with lymph scrotum were identified. Mean patient age was 45 years (range, 26 to 64 years). Mean disease duration was 8.5 years (range, two to 15 years). All patients had evidence of filarial infection from at least one laboratory test (parasitological, antigen investigation or "filarial dance sign" on ultrasound). Six patients presented histories of urological surgery. The authors highlight the importance of the association between filarial infection and the inadequate surgical and clinical management of hydrocele in an endemic area, as risk factors for lymph scrotum. Thus, filarial infection should be routinely investigated in all individuals presenting urological morbidity within endemic areas, in order to identify likely links in the transmission chain. A filariose linfática (FL) é responsável por uma grande variedade de sinais e sintomas clínicos incluindo manifestações urogenitais. O controle da transmissão e da incapacitação bem como o manuseio da morbidade são os dois pilares da estratégia global de eliminação da FL. O linfoescroto é uma rara apresentação da FL, tendo importantes repercussões do ponto de vista clínico, psicológico e socioeconômico. Realizou-se um estudo retrospectivo de uma série de casos com diagnóstico de linfoescroto, identificados entre os 6.361 pacientes ambulatoriais atendidos no período de 2000 a 2007 no Serviço de Referência Nacional em Filarioses ...