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Human pulmonary dirofilariasis: an unexpected differential diagnosis for a solitary lung lesion

Sigrid G Theodore, Hannah J Sawkins, Manish Mathew, Sumit Yadav and Robert Norton
Med J Aust 2023; 219 (10): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.52115
Published online: 20 November 2023

A 56‐year‐old woman of European ancestry from a suburban area of Far North Queensland was referred to the local cardiothoracic unit for a right lower lobe lung lesion. Her past medical history included a 43 pack‐year smoking history, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus and obesity. She had resided in Malaysia for almost three years as a child and had previously travelled to Papua New Guinea several years before presentation. A lung lesion was incidentally detected while the patient was undergoing imaging to investigate hepatic steatosis. She had no clinical features of infection or malignancy.


  • Townsville University Hospital, Townsville, QLD



Patient consent:

The patient gave written consent for publication.


Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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