[Human dirofilariasis in southern Italy. I. The Puglia Region].

Nine new cases of human Dirofilariasis by Dirofilaria repens, in subjects living in Apulia, aged 30 to 60 years, are reported. Six were subcutaneous and three subconjunctival. Many of them occurred a number of years ago and were identified thanks to a specific joint investigation carried out by a parasitologist, some histopathologists and ophthalmologists. Of special relevance is one subcutaneous case with contemporary presence of 2 nodules in different regions of the body (mamma and forearm) and another subconjuctival case with strong inflammatory reaction (episcleritis, chemosis, orbital cellulitis) associated with the passage of the nematode under the Tenon's capsule.