انگل، قارچ و حشره شناسی  علوم پزشکی اراک

Developmental stages

• Development
  in mosquito
  • L1
    (microfilariae) During bloodmeal, the mosquito ingests some microfilariae that start their development into infective heartworm.
  • L2 Microfilariae migrate from the midgut to the malpighian tubules within 48 hr after ingestion. In the ensuing 4 days of intracellular development, the parasites become shorter and thicker transforming into so-called sausage form non-motile larvae, which contain virtually all major organ systems of the parasite.
  • L3 Inside the mosquito microfilariae develop into the infective larval stage (L3). At 26°C, the first molt occurs about 10 days after infection giving rise to elongated motile larvae, which in about 3 days molt and transform into mature L3 infectious larvae. Within 17 days of infection, the L3 larvae move to mosquito's mouthparts; they break out of the mouthparts during the bloodmeal, and have to find their way through the hole in the skin after the mosquito finished feeding; as many as 45% of the infective larvae are being lost on the surface of the skin and fail to enter the organism.