Dirofilariasis Case 234

Description:

Description: Dirofilariasis is caused by the dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis. The larvae are transmitted by a mosquito bite. In humans the larvae, in almost all instances, do not develop and die. In rare cases the larvae transform into incompletely developed adult worms which die in the right ventricle and then embolize to the the lungs where infarction may occur. In dogs and other definitive hosts the mature adult worms inhabit the right ventricle. In this image cross sections of dead worms are present within a necrotic blood vessel. Date: 21 June 2012, 09:53. Source: Dirofilariasis Case 234. Author: Yale Rosen from USA.