The direct action of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) on the infective larvae of Brugia pahangi was studied. The larvae were cultured in RPMI 1640 supplemented with foetal bovine serum and antibiotics for 22 days. Most of the larvae remained alive for 8 days, but survival rate of larvae decreased rapidly from day 10 onwards. The larvae did not grow in the culture system. The addition of DEC did not affect the morbidity of the larvae and no difference was observed in the morphological characteristics between the larvae cultured in the presence or absence of DEC.

The infective larvae were cultured in vitro for 5 days in the presence or absence of DEC, and inoculated into jirds. The animals were necropsied at intervals, and developing larvae and adult worms were recovered. When the larvae were cultured without DEC and then inoculated subcutaneously into jirds, 29.8% of the inoculum was recovered 3–15 days, and 25% 19–22 weeks, post-inoculation. However, when the larvae were exposed to DEC in vitro and inoculated into jirds, the rate of recovery was reduced to 25% 3–15 days post-inoculation and 2% after 19–22 weeks. When the control larvae cultured in vitro were inoculated intraperitoneally into jirds, 41·3% of inoculum was recovered 3–15 days, and 42·8% 19–22 weeks, post-inoculation. Again the corresponding value for larvae exposed to DEC in vitro was reduced to 19.8% 3–15 days, and 8% 19–22 weeks, post-inoculation. It was observed that the larvae exposed to DEC in vitro were retarded in their development in jirds. These results indicate that DEC has a direct action against the infective larvae of B. pahangi.