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Dec 11, 2023
The life cycle of Wuchereria bancrofti, a parasitic nematode that causes lymphatic filariasis, involves multiple stages and requires two hosts: a human host and a mosquito vector.
1. Adult Stage: Adult male and female worms live in the lymphatic vessels of the human host. The female worm can measure up to 10 cm in length, while the male worm is smaller. The worms mate and produce live microfilariae, which are microscopic larvae.
2. Microfilariae Stage: The microfilariae circulate in the bloodstream and can be found in the peripheral blood, especially during the night. They are sheathed and actively move around. The microfilariae are ingested by mosquitoes when they feed on an infected human host.
3. Mosquito Stage: Inside the mosquito, the microfilariae undergo further development. They shed their sheaths and molt twice, transforming into infective larvae called third-stage larvae (L3). This process takes about 10-14 days.
4. Infective Stage: When the mosquito takes a blood meal from a human host, the L3 larvae are deposited onto the skin. They penetrate the bite wound and enter the subcutaneous tissues. Over the next few months, they migrate to the lymphatic vessels and develop into adult worms.
5. Transmission: Once the adult worms are established in the lymphatic vessels, they can produce microfilariae, which circulate in the bloodstream and can be taken up by mosquitoes during a blood meal. This perpetuates the life cycle by infecting new human hosts.
The life cycle of Wuchereria bancrofti is completed when the mosquito vector ingests microfilariae from an infected human, allowing the larvae to develop into infective stages and transmit the infection to a new human host. This cycle continues, leading to the spread of lymphatic filariasis in endemic areas.
1. Adult Stage: Adult male and female worms live in the lymphatic vessels of the human host. The female worm can measure up to 10 cm in length, while the male worm is smaller. The worms mate and produce live microfilariae, which are microscopic larvae.
2. Microfilariae Stage: The microfilariae circulate in the bloodstream and can be found in the peripheral blood, especially during the night. They are sheathed and actively move around. The microfilariae are ingested by mosquitoes when they feed on an infected human host.
3. Mosquito Stage: Inside the mosquito, the microfilariae undergo further development. They shed their sheaths and molt twice, transforming into infective larvae called third-stage larvae (L3). This process takes about 10-14 days.
4. Infective Stage: When the mosquito takes a blood meal from a human host, the L3 larvae are deposited onto the skin. They penetrate the bite wound and enter the subcutaneous tissues. Over the next few months, they migrate to the lymphatic vessels and develop into adult worms.
5. Transmission: Once the adult worms are established in the lymphatic vessels, they can produce microfilariae, which circulate in the bloodstream and can be taken up by mosquitoes during a blood meal. This perpetuates the life cycle by infecting new human hosts.
The life cycle of Wuchereria bancrofti is completed when the mosquito vector ingests microfilariae from an infected human, allowing the larvae to develop into infective stages and transmit the infection to a new human host. This cycle continues, leading to the spread of lymphatic filariasis in endemic areas.
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