Morphology of the Larval Stages of Dirofilaria immitis in the Dog

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
From dogs experimentally infected by the subcutaneous inoculation of third-stage larvae, worms were recovered from the tissues during the first 80 days of development, from the tissues and the heart at 67-80 days and from the heart alone after 90 days. The 3d and 4th molts were observed in the tissues at 9-12 days and 60-70 days, respectively. The adolescent worms migrate to the right ventricle of the heart after the final molt and undergo a long period of maturation. Microfilariae are found in the peripheral blood as early as the 191st day. The sexes are recognizable in the 3d-stage larvae, and thereafter the stage and appropriate age may be reliably estimated on the basis of differentiated reproductive structures, particularly in the female.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: