Development of Brugia pahangi in the jird, Meriones unguiculatus, with notes on infections in other rodents
Ash, L.R.; Riley, J.M.
Journal of Parasitology 56(5): 962-968
1970
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-3395 PMID: 4396173 Document Number: 19074
Forty-two Meriones unguiculatus were experimentally infected with Brugia pahangi larvae dissected from Armigeres subalbatus that had fed on an infected dog 8 to 9 days previously. The 3rd moult occurred from 6 to 9 days and the 4th moult from 18 to 24 days after infection. Males moulted from one to 2 days earlier than females. 25 of 33 M. unguiculatus developed patent infections with microfilaraemia persisting for at least 13 weeks. Microfilarial densities showed some correlation with the size of the infecting dose. The mean prepatent period for all infections was 67 days. Adult worms were usually found in the heart and lung or in the testes. When other rodents were tested as potential hosts, microfilariae were found only in M. libycus; developing worms occurred in Neotoma lepida and golden hamsters, but Dipodomys merriami was refractory to infection.