Filarids Flashcards
What are the 4 families within Filarids?
- Onchocerca cervicalis
- Onchocerca lupi
- Acanthocheilonema
- Dirofilaria immitis
Filarids are in the order ______
Spirurida
Filarid - general characteristics
- indirect life cycle
- intermediate host: blood sucking arthropods (biting flies, flea, tick, female mosquitoes) –> produce microfilariae
Vermiform embryo
Contains only cell clusters as primordia
- pre L1 stages
- ingested by IH
- L1 to L2 to L3 in IH
_____ stage contains clearly recognizable organs
L1
Microfilariae are an example of _______
Vermiform embryo
- develop into larvae only after it has been ingested by IH
- if no ingestion of IH occurs, then the larval stages do not develop
______ is generally the infective stage
L3
Onchocerca cervicalis hosts
Indirect life cycle
- DH: equids
- IH: culicoides spp (biting midges)
Onchocerca cervicalis life cycle
DH: equid - PPP = 16 months!! - L3 infects DH with next blood meal of IH - L3 --> nuchal ligament - adults in nuchal ligament - microfilariae (subdermal CT) IH: blood sucking arthropod females - 2-3 weeks - ingest MF - pre L1 stages (VE) - L2 - L3 (infective stage)
Onchocerca cervicalis - pathology
Microfilaria - distributed in dermis and other subdermal CT - ocular conjunctivae Larvae - nuchal ligament Adults - unnoticed/nonpathogenic - woven deep in the nuchal ligament
Onchocercal dermatitis
Antigen released from dying microfilaria
- older animals (>5 yr)
- summer and winter
Onchocerca cervicalis - diagnosis
Skin biopsy (full thickness)
- tissue minced in isotonic saline for hours
- microfilariae stained with methylene blue after removal of skin pieces
- examine microfilariae
Differential –> hypersensitivity to biting flies
Onchocerca cervicalis - treatment
No treatment effective against adults!!
- ivermectin and moxidectin for use against microfilariae
Onchocerca ______ infects canids
lupi
Canine onchocercosis
Mainly distributed in the western US
Onchocerca lupi - general characteristics
DH: dogs and cats
- identified in US in 2013
- cases in humans, unknown transmission
Patent infections: large number of microfilaria
Onchocerca lupi causes acute and chronic _______
Ocular disease
- mass in eye or nodule in retrobulbar space
Canine onchocercosis
- conjuctivitis
- discomfort
- periorbital swelling
- exophthalmos
- photophobia
- lacrimation
- discharge
- periocular tissue
- granulomatous nodules
- cysts
Acanthocheilonema reconditum - hosts
Indirect life cycle (PPP: 2-3 months)
DH: dogs (adults, subq tissue)
IH: fleas (c. felis/canis, pulex irritans)
Microfilaria: blood
- ingested by IH –> L1-L3 in 1-2 weeks –> L3 to DH when IH feeds
Acanthocheilonema reconditum - clinical signs
Nonpathogenic!
- importance in differentiating microfilaria (dirofilaria immitis vs a. reconditum)
- do not treat for A. reconditum
- flea control to reduce prevalence
Dirofilaria immitis - hosts
DH: domestic dog, some cat, rare in ferrets
IH: mosquitoes
Dead-end hosts: bears, raccoons, beavers, humans*
Reservoir hosts: red wolf, foxes, coyotes, wolverines, sea lions, wild felids
Dirofilaria immitis in humans
Leads to coin lesions in lungs
- may be misinterpreted as neoplasia
Dirofilaria immitis - life cycle
Mosquito takes a blood meal (L3 enters skin –> infective) –> L4 migrate toward thorax, circulatory system –> adults in pulmonary arteries and right heart –> female produces microfilariae in 180 days –> mosquito takes blood meal (ingests MF) –> L1 –> L2 –> L3, migrates to mouth parts
Where are adults of D. immitis located?
Pulmonary arteries and right heart