SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF ADULT WUCHERERIA-BANCROFTI (NEMATODA,FILARIOIDEA)

Despite the great importance of Wuchereria bancrofti in causing human lymphatic filariasis, only conventional morphological studies have bee n completed with adult forms of this filaria. No ultrastructural studi es have been carried out, mainly due to the difficulty in obtaining vi able parasites from human tissues and the lack of a suitable experimen tal model or in vitro cultivation. With the recent success in using ul trasound to localize adult worms in living tissues and their surgical recovery from human lymphatic vessels, we show in the present paper th e first ultrastructural observations of this filarial form. The cuticl e surface analyzed by scanning electron microscopy showed a transversa l striated aspect with periodic annulations and many small protuberanc es irregularly distributed along the filaria. The adults present a spe cialized cephalic area, with the oral opening surrounded by a circular mouth, papillae, and amphidial opening. Other structures, for example the anal, vulvar, and cloacal opening and spicules, were also observe d and are described herein.