The morphological characters of the microfilaria of Brugia malayi collected in Cheju-Do, Korea were described and compared with those or other local strains, already reported from the Malay Archipelago(Brug, 1927), Huchow, South China (Feng, 1933), Hachijo Kojima, Japan (Hayashi, 1951) etc. And it was found that there are no marked difference among these kinds of Microfilaria malayi. The percentage measurements of the fixed points in the Microfilaria malayi from Korea are summarized as follows; B.N.C.: 3.38%(2.90-3.72%), N.R.: 22.64% (17.36-25.81%), E.P.: 32.26% (27.49-36.60%), E.C.: 38.78% (34.90-41.72%), Inn. K. begin: 53.95% (49.50-58.84%) end: 67.87%(63.02-72.97%), G-1: 70.42% (60.22-75.23%), G-2:76.70% (75.10-78.32%), G-3:78.84% (77.81-79.59%), G-4:80.84%(79.82-81.35%), A.P.:82.94%(77.32-89.72%), Length: 193.39(+-12.3 micro-meter)(170.77-233.08 micro-meter), Width: 7.04+-0.37 micro-meter(5.99-7.99 micro-meter), Sheath: 268.48+-17.07 micro-meter(218.72-286.47 micro-meter), Ratio(Cephalic space): 1: 0.78
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Brugia malayi ; microfilaria

The periodicity of the microfilariae of Brugia malayi was studied in 9 human carriers from Shin-san Ri, Seong-san Myon, Cheju Island. The periodicity pattern was markedly nocturnal and the peaks were observed between 21:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. The average peak count was 1:30 a.m. and the percentage of peak count at this time was 95.3. The ratio of minimum of the average peak count percentage to the maximum was 8.3. The periodicity pattern of B.malayi in Cheju Island was compared with that in Inland and no differences were found between two forms. From the above observations, it was concluded that the periodicity of B. malayi in Korea is markedly nocturnal and closely resembles that in the strain of Penang, Malaya.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda-Brugia malayi ; periodicity ; microfilaria

A survey of canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) infections among German shepherds in five areas of South Korea was performed from October 1994 to August 1995 using a microfilarial test (modified Knott's test) and an antigen test (DiroCHEK , Synbiotics, USA). The infection rate of 127 German shepherds (71 males and 56 females) was 10.2% (13/127) by the microfilarial test, but was 28.3% (36/127) by the antigen test, revealing that 24 of the 36 antigen-positive dogs were microfilaria-negative in the peripheral blood. All dogs that were microfilaria-positive were also antigen-positive. Three of the microfilaria-negative and antigen-positive dogs contained 4 - 15 adult heartworms in the heart and pulmonary arteries upon necropsy. The infection rate among German shepherds was the highest in Hoengsong-gun (Kangwon-do, 84.4%), while those of Yechon-gun (Kyongsangbuk-do) and Chungwon-gun (Chungchongbuk-do) areas were 20.0% and 14.3%, respectively. None of the dogs in the Kimhae-shi (Kyongsangnam-do) and Kwangju areas was heartworm positive. The infection rates of heartworm in dogs at the age of 1-3, 4-6, and 7-11 years were 6.3%, 21.4%, and 56.4%, respectively. Based on the fact that the antigen test is more accurate than the microfilarial test, this study strongly indicates that the prevalence rate of canine heartworm in Korea may be higher than previously reported (3.1+=23.0%) which utilized microfilarial tests.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Dirofilaria immitis ; dogs ; antigen ; microfilaria ; epidemiology

A series of 250 patients with filariasis due to periodic type of Brugia malayi was selected for the mass treatment with diethylcarbamazine from two areas in Cheju-Do. Two types of dosage schedules have been employed: the one was the conventional dosage schedule (uninterrupted dose of 6 mg/kg once daily 6 times repeated with an interval of one or two month totaling 72 mg/kg), and the other was the low dosage schedule (uninterrupted dose of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 mg/kg body weight given once a day with an additional 6 mg/kg once daily totaling the maximum 37.5 mg/kg). The relative effectiveness of those two schedules was evaluated under the basis of the effects on microfilaria counts and the results of analysis of side-reactions observed. The results obtained in this experiment are summarized as it follows. In the conventional dosage treatment, 118 out of 141 microfilaria positives treated (83.7%) became negative and microfilaria reduction rate was about 99%. However, in the low dosage treatment, 35 out of 43 positives treated (85.4%) became negative and reduction rate of microfilaria, 99.5% in average. Total dose and duration of treatment were 72 mg/kg and about 60 days in the former schedule but it were maximum 37.5 mg/kg and 10 days in the latter. The recurrence of filariasis after treatment in both conventional and low dosage was negligible. Comparative analyses regarding the resulting side-reactions between the two schedules were made on their frequency, severity, onset and duration and relationship with microfilaria density. The febrile reaction was most frequently observed in 80.5% in the conventional, 43.9% in the low dosage schedule. The main side-reactions usually appeared within 6 to 10 hours and lasted 48 to 72 hours in the former threament, however they occurred in 7 to 8 hours and lasted 24 to 43 hours in the latter dosage schedule. It is assumed that the side-reactions are not directly related with the microfilaria count. However, the febrile reaction seems to be correlated with microfilaria density if it is above a certain limit. The presence of adult worm in a lymphnode involved with local reaction was ascertained from the biopsy specimens performed and local reactions such as lymphangitis and lymphadenitis after drug administrations were assessed from clinical and pathological point of view. It was conclusively indicated that the chemotherapeutic response to low dosage schedule within shorter length of treatment was equal to that of larger doses in long term medication from the point of the reduction in microfilaria, and particularly the resulting side-reactions were also reduced in the low dosage schedule.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda-Bruigia malayi ; chemotherapy-diethylcarbamazine ; microfilaria ; diethylcarbamazine

Filariasis, a parasitic infection endemic in parts of India, Myanmar, islands of the South Pacific, West and East Africa and Saudi Arabia can be diagnosed from various types of cytopathological specimens. This case documents the detection of filarial infection from hydrocele fluid cytology in a 30-year-old Myanmar migrant worker in Malaysia.
Liquid substance ; Cellular aspects of ; Infection as complication of medical care ; Microfilaria ; Myanmar

In filariasis the infectivity of the appropriate mosquito vector is not consistent with the microfilarial density of the host. The reason may be attributed such factors as the time of microfilarial appearance in the peripheral blood of the host, the time of maximum biting activity of the arthropod vector, or the morphological adaptation of the feeding mechanism of the vector. However, it is quite puzzling to see why the number of microfilariae taken up by mosquitoes is subjected such a great variation, even though the same batch of mosquitoes are fed on the same filarial host under same laboratory conditions. The experiment was designed to observe more detail aspect of this relation. Adult Aedes togoi (Theobald, 1907) mosquitoes were reared from egg rafes colonized in an insectary. Animals used were Taiwan monkeys, Macaca cyclopsis which had been artificially infected with Wucheria malayi. The animals showed the microfilarial counts as low as nil to ten per slide of 20 cmm3 of blood, which seem to be rather fortunate for this kind of work. The microfilarial density of each animal was counted by taking each ten smears of 20 cmm(3) of peripheral blood the ear lobes before and after mosquito bite. Feeding were done in two occations, during 1600-1630 and 1900-1930 hours of the same day. The monkeys were immobilized and a rayon cage, housed 100 female mosquitoes for two days starvation, was exposed to the shaved abdomen of each animal. Fully engorged mosquitoes were transferred to a square rearing cage, which was later placed in the insectary, where kept temperature of 23-27degree C and relative humidity of 80-85 per cent. It was found that filarial larvae of the mosquito body usually develop to the third or infective stage in about 10 days after blood meal under these conditions. Daily dissections were made of these mosquitoes, either living or dead, after one week of rearing. Analysing of the result, the following conclusion was made. The rate and intensity of infection in mosquitoes are not directly related to the blood counts of microfilariae of the host animals. This is perhaps due to fluctuations of microbial outflow in the peripheral blood of individual animals. The reason of this would be no doubt due to a patch type of microfilarial distribution in the host blood.
parasitology-arthropodology-mosquito ; Aedes togoi ; Macaca cyclopsis ; monkey ; protozoology ; Brugia malayi ; microfilaria ; animal

The Brugian filariasis in Korea was once endemic in several areas including Jeju-do and small remote islands located in the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula. But recently it has almost been controlled. The first patient was a 42-year-old man, who visited the hospital with the chief complaints of fatigue, jaundice and edema on the right low extremity. Examination of a peripheral blood smear revealed non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and eosinophilia, and a parasite, which was identified as microfilaria of Brugia malayi on the glass slide of blood obtained from the patient at midnight. The second patient was a 23-year-old man, who visited the hospital with the chief complaints of cough, sputum and fever. A parasite resembling that of the first patient was found in a peripheral blood smear accompaning neutrophilia. No more parasites, however, were found in the peripheral blood obtained from the patient at midnight. These two clinical cases of Brugian filariasis indicate that the clinical laboratory in Korea should be able to detect microfilariae for the diagnosis of filariasis.
Adult ; Anemia, Macrocytic ; Brugia malayi ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Eosinophilia ; Extremities ; Fatigue ; Fever ; Filariasis* ; Glass ; Humans ; Islands ; Jaundice ; Jeju-do ; Korea ; Microfilaria ; Parasites ; Sputum ; Thrombocytopenia ; Young Adult

Filarial adult were found in the intermuscular connective tissue of the peritracheal and mandibular region of the Taiwan monkey(Macaca cyclopis). The microfilariae in the peripheral blood demonstrated a marked nocturnal periodicity with a peak between 2100-0100 hours and a low diurnal minimum between 900 and 1300 hours. Staining the microfilaria by various stains demonstrated differences in size. No development of microfilariae was detected in the Culex fatigans, Culex tritaeniohyncus, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles minimus, Armigeres subalbatus or Mansonia uniformis mosquitoes.
parasitology ; epidmiology ; monkey ; mosquito ; protozoa ; Brugia malayi ; microfilaria ; Culex fatigans ; Culex tritaeniohyncus ; Aedes albopictus ; Anopheles minimus ; Armigeres subalbatus ; Mansonia uniformis mosquitoes

No abstract available.
Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Ascomycota/*cytology/physiology ; Cholangitis/*diagnosis/radiography ; *Diagnostic Errors ; Elephantiasis, Filarial/diagnosis ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Microfilaria/cytology/isolation & purification ; Spores, Fungal/cytology/*isolation & purification ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed