Man's swollen, calcified testicle caused by parasitic worm infection: case report

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A man in India who sought medical attention for a suspected urinary tract infection was found to be suffering from a rare reaction in one of his testicles that was caused by parasitic worms.

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The 80-year-old's testicle appeared swollen and calcified. The man, who was not identified, was diagnosed with lymphatic filariasis, which caused a fluid-filled sac caused a hydrocele to form around his testicle that then began to calcify, according to LiveScience.

A fluid-filled sac had formed around the man's testicle and began to calcify.  (BMJ Case Reports)

A hydrocele typically forms in response to an infection or injury, but in this case, it was caused by lymphatic filariasis, which is caused by parasitic worms.

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A patient can become infected with filarial worms through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to a report on the man’s condition, which was published in BMJ Case Reports. (The original case report contains a graphic photo.) The parasites develop into adult worms once in the lymphatic vessels, which can cause severe damage and swelling, as was the case with the man’s right testicle.

The case report’s authors note that while filariasis is endemic in India, the calcification that occurred in this man’s scrotum remains rare, with authors noting just one other case published in 1935.

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While the authors did not say how they treated this man, patients with the parasitic infection may be given anti-filarial drugs, or even undergo surgery to address the infected hydrocele.