Latest news with #DepartmentofInfectiousDiseases
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Irish medics issue chilling warning after parasitic worm removed from lump in Ukrainian man's groin
IRISH doctors have issued a chilling warning to patients with unexplained lumps and bumps - after a parasitic worm was surgically removed from the groin of a 32-year-old Ukrainian man. He was referred by his GP to St. James's Hospital in 2 The ultrasound scan of the cavity containing the parasitic worm in the man's groin Credit: COLLECT As well as being in Ukraine, he had also travelled to The patient couldn't recall any trauma that might have explained the lump. A scan was performed and unexpectedly revealed a 13.8mm cavity underneath the skin, prompting doctors to refer him to the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Mater Hospital. Surgery was performed and a parasitic worm was pulled from the excised lump, exhibiting 'a thick cuticle and prominent internal tubular structures within'. Read more in Health It had been surrounded by a 'dense, inflammatory infiltrate'. The worm was a species of dirofilaria, which are white, thread-like organisms that can grow up to 12cm long. The same parasite is known as heartworm in dogs, and can spread to the lungs in humans through the lymphatic system. The disease caused by the parasite is endemic in Most read in Health They said the case was of 'particular relevance' due to current patterns of migration, which have resulted in 'relatively uncommon pathogens' presenting in common clinical scenarios in other countries. The authors of the case report, which was published in the latest issue of the Irish Medical Journal, said it was a reminder to physicians to consider the possibility of rare parasitic infections in patients with unexplained lumps. I thought I had sand in my eye - now I'm blind after parasite burrowed into my cornea They noted that – a species of dirofilaria endemic in eastern and southern Europe – had recently emerged in previously transmission-free countries like Austria, They said: 'Due to changing patterns of migration due to recent global events, relatively uncommon pathogens continue to present in common clinical scenarios, reminding physicians to include broader differentials in such encounters with patients who have epidemiological risk. 'This case illustrates the need to consider parasitic infections in the differential for painless lumps in those with a compatible travel history. "This is of particular relevance as current patterns of emigration from war-affected Ukraine persist, where the condition is endemic.' 2 Doctors sent him to the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Mater Hospital Credit: Getty
Agriland
29-05-2025
- Health
- Agriland
Man contracted brucellosis after handling buffalo on trip to India
By Gordon Deegan A 32-year-old married restaurant worker here contracted acute brucellosis after he handled buffaloes at a farm and drank unpasteurised goat milk during a month-long stay in India. That is according to medics in a paper entitled 'Mysteries on the Menu: A Traveller's Health Misadventure' in the new edition of the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ). According to the medics at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, brucellosis is a zoonotic infection, acquired by consuming unpasteurised dairy or handling animals infected with bacteria. Although eradicated from Irish cattle in 2009, brucellosis occurs in large parts of the world in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Central Asia, China, the Indian subcontinent, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America. Buffalo in India The restaurant worker was on a visit to Punjab, India and a study showed one-third of dairy farms there had at least one infected animal, while 10% of humans with direct livestock contact tested positive there. According to the medics, brucellosis is rare in Ireland amongst humans, with provisional Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) data indicating five cases were reported in 2023, and one in both 2022 and 2024. In the paper, the medics state that in April 2023, the man presented to the hospital with over four months of fevers, myalgia, headaches, and 5kg weight loss. The symptoms began in November 2022 after his one-month trip to Punjab, India. The man's general practitioner (GP) treated him with 10 days of empiric oral medication in November 2022, with some improvement, but symptoms recurred weeks later. The medics state that treatment with an antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections in January 2023 was ineffective, prompting hospital presentation. The medics state that while in India, the man manually handled buffaloes at a farm and drank unpasteurised goat milk. The medics added that the man was a married, non-smoking, restaurant worker. The medical paper outlined that had brucellosis not been considered, 'the patient could have developed serious complications'. After brucellosis was identified, the man made a full recovery. Brucellosis Brucellosis has an average onset of 2-4 weeks with an incubation period of five days to six months while symptoms include fever and malaise. Severe, multi-systematic complications may develop, including arthritis, spondylitis, central nervous system disorders, hepatitis, respiratory disorders, and rashes. The medics state that the case involving the restaurant worker emphasises the need for awareness of zoonoses in Ireland, which are an infectious diseases that are caused by a pathogen jumping from an animal to a human. The medics also state that the case also highlights the importance of careful history-taking in returning travellers.
