Subcutaneous sparganosis mimicking soft tissue tumor: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Sparganosis is a rare parasitic disease of humans caused by invasion of human tissue by plerocercoid tapeworm larvae (spargana) of the genus species. This parasite commonly invades subcutaneous tissue but can appear in any tissue of the body.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here, we report a case of a 33-year-old woman presented with a migrating painful swelling and erythema in right thigh for 6 months, which was initially misdiagnosed as soft tissue tumor. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a multiple elongated tubular tracts in the medial aspect of right thigh, from which a long, wrinkled, whitish worm was surgically removed. The parasite was histopathologically identified as .

CONCLUSION

Sparganosis is rare and physicians have little experience, so if suspected, should be included among the list of differential diagnosis and special serological test should be recommended before surgery.