Fortuitous discovery of a microfilaria of the genus Loa loa during a routine blood smear at the Hematology Laboratory of the Mohamed V Military Instruction Hospital in Rabat: a case report
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Loiasis is a parasitic infection transmitted by a vector, specifically through the bites of Chrysops genus tabanid flies. It is often associated with marked and persistent eosinophilia in affected individuals. We report the case of a 28-year-old Cameroonian male patient. His medical history includes an episode of malaria treated on an outpatient basis. As part of a diving internship in Morocco, the young serviceman underwent a medical fitness examination at the Medical Expertise Center for Aircrew Personnel of the Mohamed V Military Hospital, which included a biological assessment. This revealed a mildly elevated bilirubin level, lactate dehydrogenase activity at the upper limit of normal and eosinophilia at 1500 µl –1 , without anaemia or thrombocytopaenia. A blood smear was prepared and stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa, revealing the presence of several small worms, with an appearance consistent with Loa loa microfilariae. This case of L. loa , identified in the haematology laboratory, is one of the rare diagnoses in Morocco. Therefore, biologists need to remain vigilant and carry out a thorough analysis of the blood count and blood smear.
