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Morphological differences between Venezuelan and African microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2009

C. Botto
Affiliation:
Tropical Medicine Institute/Central University of Venezuela/UCV/Apartado 2109/Caracas
A. Escalante
Affiliation:
Department of Environmental Studies/Simón Bolívar University/Sertanejas
M. Arango
Affiliation:
Amazonian Center for Research and Control of Tropical Diseases/CAICET/Puerto Ayacucho/Venezuela
L. Yarzabal
Affiliation:
Amazonian Center for Research and Control of Tropical Diseases/CAICET/Puerto Ayacucho/Venezuela

Abstract

Comparative morphological and biometric characteristics of microfilariae of Onchocerca gutturosa and O. volvulus from different geographical areas (Upper Orinoco, Venezuela; Togo; Liberia) were assessed. “Stepwise” discriminant analysis and Mahalanobis estimators were applied to measure distance between populations. The results indicate a strong similarity between the two strains from the Upper Orinoco (Venezuela) and the Togo strain, as well as a clear separation between these strains and that of O. gutturosa. The Liberian strain was easily distinguishable from microfilariae from Togo and Venezuela. Discriminant analysis showed the Liberian deme to be as different from the Venezuelan and Togo demes as these demes were from microfilariae of the reference species, O. gutturosa. Although it is necessary to confirm these data using formalin-fixed specimens obtained from the skin, the present findings suggest the existence of geographically-different strains of O. volvulus in America and Africa.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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