The development of the nematode Spinitectus inermis (Zeder, 1800), a parasite of the stomach of eels, Anguilla anguilla (L.) in Europe, was experimentally studied. Mayfly nymphs Caenis macrura, Ecdyonurus dispar, Heptagenia sulphurea, Potamanthus luteus and Seratella ignita from Portugal and the Czech Republic were found to serve as experimental intermediate hosts. After ingestion of the nemato...

We report four cases of passage of subadult or adult Toxocara cati worms by young children ages 20 months to seven years. Worms were expelled rectally in two cases and in two cases they were vomited. A single worm was passed in two cases, three worms in one case, and 15 worms in the fourth case. All worms that were available for study were identified as T. cati by morphologic criteria, includin...

Entomopathogenic nematode in vivo production depends on a high level of successful infection during the inoculation process. Some host–nematode combinations do not provide suYcient or consistent infection levels and are, therefore, not suitable for in vivo production. Our objective was to determine whether infection levels could be improved through host or nematode exposure to physical and chem...

Morphological and morphometric aspects of larval development of Umingmakstrongylus pallikuukensis in Deroceras laeve and the effects of temperature on development rates in D. laeve and Deroceras reticulatum were investigated in the laboratory. Larval stages were best differentiated by separation of cuticular sheaths, tail structure, and viability following digestion. Growth in body and esophagu...

Preliminary studies were carried out to investigate the role of filarial specific antibodies, raised in an animal model against the filarial parasite, Brugia malayi (sub-periodic), in blocking their early development in an experimental mosquito host, Aedes aegypti (Liverpool strain). In order to generate filarial specific antibodies, Mongolian gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, were immunized eith...

We earlier demonstrated the immunoprophylactic efficacy of recombinant heavy chain myosin (Bm-Myo) of Brugia malayi (B. malayi) in rodent models. In the current study, further attempts have been made to improve this efficacy by employing alternate approaches such as homologous DNA (pcD-Myo) and heterologous DNA/protein prime boost (pcD-Myo+Bm-Myo) in BALB/c mouse model. The gene bm-myo was clon...

This study was performed to examine the vector competence of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus for Dirofilaria immitis. Eleven individual experiments were conducted in this study. Nonthaburi and Udon Thani strains of Ae. aegypti were allowed to feed on infected dogs that had 5,750 and 4,600 microfilariae (mW) per ml of blood, respectively. Three groups of Bangkok-strain Cx. quinquefascia...

Heartworm disease is caused by a parasite called Dirofilaria immitis, better known as heartworm. The parasites are long, hair-like worms that live in the right ventricle of the heart and the pulmonary artery, which is the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. Dogs become infected when they are bitten by an infected mosquito that is carrying immature heartworms calle...

Lymphatic filariasis caused by nematode parasites Wuchereria bancrofti or Brugia malayi is a spectral disease and produces wide range of immune responses and varying levels of microfilaraemia in infected individuals. The relationship between the immune response of host and the developmental stage of the parasite as well as the microfilariae (mf) density and specific location of the adult worms ...

Lymphatic filariasis affects nearly 120 million people worldwide and mass preventive chemotherapy is currently used as a strategy to control this infection. This has substantially reduced the incidence of the infection in several parts of the world. However, a prophylactic vaccine would be more effective in preventing future infections and will supplement the mass chemotherapy efforts. Unfortun...