AN IN-VITRO VIDEOMICROSCOPIC TEST SYSTEM TO ASSESS PUTATIVE FILARICIDAL AGENTS

In an extension of our earlier in vivo and in vitro videomicroscopic s tudies of the Brugia malayi life cycle in ferrets, we examined the eff ect of putative filaricidal agents on adult worm motility and survival . Two to twelve months after 75 L(3) stage B. malayi larvae were injec ted into each groin, ferrets displayed numerous dilated and incompeten t hindlimb lymphatics harboring nests of adult nematodes. After segmen tal lymphatic ligation (distal and proximal to worm nests) and excisio n, adult worms were allowed to exit the incised lymphatic segment into tissue culture media. These worms typically survived in vitro for 3-1 2 weeks. Adult worms were placed in a viewing plastic well and using v ideomicroscopy individual worm motility and survival was monitored aga inst putative filaricidal agents as graphically depicted on a video. P reliminary findings support the potential value of this model to simul ate the parasite's intralymphatic environment and assess filaricidal a ctivity in an analogous manner to performing in vitro sensitivity test ing of bacteria to antibiotic drugs.