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| Elaeophora scheideri | |
|---|---|
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Phthiraptera |
| Family | Onchocercidae |
| Genus | Elaeophora |
| Species | Elaeophora scheideri |
| Also known as: | Filarial dermatosis |
Hosts
Intermediate hosts: Tabanid flies.
Definitive hosts: Sheep, goats and deer.
Identification
E. scheideri is of the family Onchocercidae, and the adults are long, slender worms. The females are larger than the males, measuring around 12cm in length.
Life Cycle
Microfilariae are found on the surface of the definitive host. When the horse-fly feeds, it is infected with the larvae. The larvae then develop into L3 within the fly.
The fly moves onto another host, and feeds. The larvae then enter the hosts blood stream, and are circulated throughout the body. The adults can live within the host for up to 4 years.
The prepatent period of E. scheideri is 4-5 months.