Observations on the Possible Role of Insects as Paratenic Hosts for Ancylostoma caninum

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Abstract
Blattella germanica Periplaneta americana, P. fuliginosa. and Tenebrio molitor were infected with 3d-stage larvae of Ancylostoma caninum by placing them on charcoal-feces cultures containing infective larvae and by injecting the larvae into the body cavity. Living larvae were found in all parts of the infected insects but were most frequently found in the Malplghlan tubules. Larvae in the hemocele were found to be encapsulated by phagocytes within 1 or 2 days and after 34 days all but a few of the encapsulated larvae were dead. Larvae were not encapsulated in Malpighian tubules and were found alive there 80 days after infection. There was no apparent development ox increase in size of the larvae in any of the insects. Larvae recoveredfrom cockroaches after 38 days were found to be infective for mice. These observations suggest that insects may be paratenic hosts for A. caninum and thus serve as natural sources of infection, especially for cats. Attempts to find larvae of A. caninum in naturally-infected cockroaches were unsuccessful, although wild-caught cockroaches were found to be infected with Gongylonema and Moniliformis.

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