Secondary antifilarial screening in dogs using Setaria cervi as test organism.

It has been reported (1, 2) that intraperitoneal implantation with two male and two female adult Setaria cervi produces microfilaremia in rats within two weeks and lasts from 54±6 days. When the number of worms implanted is increased, microfilaria appear earlier but the mortality of the host is higher. Complete disappearance of microfilaria from peripheral circulation results after oral and intraperitoneal administration of diethyl car bamazine and 3-acetamido-4-hydroxy-phenyl arsonic acid respectively. Other chemothe rapeutic agents effective against various nematode infections, but ineffective against filariasis were also ineffective against microfilaria of Setaria cervi. For a secondary screening, in a more closely allied host to human beings, adult Setaria