OcorrÃncia de infecÃÃo filarial em portadores de hidrocele moradores de Ãrea endÃmica para bancroftose

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2005

RESUMO

It is generally accepted that testicular hydrocele is the most common clinical manifestation related to bancroftian filariasis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate filarial active infection in 259 patients with hydrocele and inhabitants from a bancroftian filariasis endemic area between 1999 and 2000. The final diagnosis of hydrocele was based on physical and ultrasound examinations of the scrotal area. A hundred and sixty five (63.7%) and 94 (36.3%) men had unilateral and bilateral hydroceles, respectively. All patients underwent direct parasitological investigation using nocturnal venous blood membrane filtration for microfilariae identification and ultrasound examination of the escrotal contents for evidence of living adult worms (filaria dance sign). One hundred and fourteen of the 259 cases (44.0%) were positively diagnosed with filarial active infection. Microfilaremia and filarial dance sign were observed in 78/259 (30.1%) and 95/259 (36.7%), respectively. The group in the study consisted of 210/259 (81.1%) under the age of the 50 years and 49/259 (18.9%) over the age of 50. In the group of patients over 50 years of age, bilateral hydrocele was seen in 25/94 (26.6%) and unilateral hydrocele in 24/165 (14.6%) (p = 0.02). The presence of active filarial infection associated with hydrocele was statistically significant in patients with unilateral hydrocele 86/165 (52.1%) as compared with patients with bilateral disease 28/94 (29.8%) (p = 0.0007). The findings show that about 50% of patients with hydrocele from Greater Recife area on their initial visit to the urologist have active filarial infection. This is of paramount importance for surgeons in general. Surgery for hydrocele is only a part of the management for this group of patients. The surgeon should also evaluate the filarial status of the infection,treat the positive cases and advise the respective families on the need to carry out parasitological examination in all family members. In so doing, it is possible, from a public health point of view, to contribute to the control and thus avoid a worsening of the infection in infected individuals by recommending antifilarial treatment

ASSUNTO(S)

hydrocele infecÃÃo filarial filarial infection hidrocele bancroftose medicina bancroftian

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