Observations on Filarial Larvae in Bedbugs Feeding on Human Carriers of Wuchereria Bancrofti and Brugia Malayi in South India

George J. Burton International Cooperation Administration, U. S. Operations Mission to British Guiana, Georgetown, British Guiana

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Summary

Forty-nine Cimex lectularius and three Cimex hemipterus nymphs and adult bedbugs were collected in Thuravoor, Kerala State, South India, from a cot of a filaria-infected women having a nocturnal count of 120 Brugia malayi microfilariae per 20 cubic mm of blood. Sausage-stage larvae of B. malayi were found in tibiae and tarsi of 5 nymphs (9.6%), and infective larvae in the antennae, abdomen and prothorax of 4 nymphs (7.7%). Seven nymphs and one adult of C. lectularius were taken from the mat and bedding of a person infected with Wuchereria bancrofti in Alleppey, Kerala State. One nymph had 3 sausage-stage larvae and another had an infective larva of W. bancrofti. The parasites were studied and photographed first in the living bedbug and identified after dissection. Sausage and infective larvae were seen only in nymphs. Microfilariae were not found outside the gut. Emergence of infective larvae was not observed.

Author Notes

Formerly with U. S. Technical Cooperation Mission to India, and Malaria Institute of India in Delhi and Ernakulam (Kerala State), India.

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