An 80-year-old man in India developed a bizarre, eggshell-like material around his testicle — the result of a rare reaction to a chronic infection, according to a new report of the case.
The man first went to the doctor because he was experiencing symptoms of a urinary tract infection, including blood in his urine, according to the report, which was published Jan. 6 in the journal BMJ Case Reports.
That’s when doctors discovered that he had an enlarged and “stony hard” right testicle. CT scans then revealed that the man had a fluid-filled sac around his testicle that had begun to calcify, or harden with deposits of calcium.
The doctors believe that this process was caused by an infection from filarial worms known as filariasis.
These worms are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites and can cause a number of issues if they reach the lymphatic vessels.
In their report, the researchers, led by Dr Pavan Kumar, wrote: “Elephantiasis – painful, disfiguring swelling of the legs and genital organs – is a classic sign of late-stage disease.”
This kind of infection can usually be treated with drugs, but sometimes requires surgery, according to the researchers.
However, in the case report, the researchers don’t elaborate on any treatment the man received.
