[Dirofilariasis in the countries of the CIS: an analysis of the cases over the years 1915-1996].

A hundred and fourteen cases of subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens were described in the CIS in 1915-1996. The mean age of the patients was 38.4 years (from 3 to 70 years). Dirofilaria was found in the eye in 45.9% of cases, in the head and neck in 17.5%, in the arms and hands in 11.7%, in the legs in 8.1%, in the viscera in 2 cases, and in the genitalia in 2 cases, they being prevalent in the body's right part. The north boundary of local infection cases was in latitude 53-54 degrees North. The maximum cases were detected in January and June. Dirofilariasis clinically appeared as a migrating subcutaneous tumor occasionally complicated by secondary abscess. The tumor generally contained an immature female, an immature male was found in one case. The sole treatment was surgical helminthic excision. There was a trend of subcutaneous dirofilariasis cases to increase in the RF in the past decades.