Faculty Collaboration Database

Surface area calculation for Onchocerca volvulus microfilariae. Trop Med Parasitol 1991 Jun;42(2):151-2

Date

06/01/1991

Pubmed ID

1896774

Abstract

The pathogenesis of tissue damage in filarial infections involves the generation of inflammatory mediators by interaction of parasite surfaces with the host immune response. In the presence of a heavy parasite burden, the tremendous potential for development of adverse local or systemic inflammatory responses may be appreciated by knowledge of the cumulative surface area represented by circulating microfilariae. The approximate surface area of a single microfilariae of Onchocerca volvulus was calculated using mathematical formulae for standard geometrical shapes and values derived from serial measurements of electron micrographs. Numerical values for the surface area represented by large numbers of microfilariae are given and compared to surface areas of the host which can harbor many millions of microfilariae.

Author List

Kron MA, Mackenzie CD

Author

Michael Kron MD Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Body Surface Area
Mathematics
Microfilariae
Onchocerca