209 



This ])aper records observations on the behaviour ot Hcrpclouionas 

 tyopica in the ahmentary tract of Cimex hemiptera and also reviews 

 some points in the etiology of the disease. The technique employed 

 is described in detail. 



Living Herpdomonas tropica may be found in the rectum of an 

 adult bug 24 hours after feeding them on cultures of the parasite. 

 In microscopic preparations the organisms may be found in the 

 alimentary tract as late as the 19th day after the feed. From micro- 

 scopic examinations it would seem that the parasite disappears from 

 the midgut if the bugs are not fed again after the original feed on the 

 culture. If re-fed on clean human blood, a number of round, growing 

 flagellates appear in the midgut which multiply and produce an intense 

 infection. 



It was found that H. tropica can live for 23 days in the alimentary 

 tract of starved bugs ; 34 days in the stomach of adults re-fed on 

 clean blood ; 44 in the hind intestine and 34 in the rectum ; 33 in 

 the midgut of a nymph re-fed on clean blood ; 36 in the hind 

 intestine and rectum, and at least 9 in the midgut of a fed larva. 



Future observations may show that the organism can live for several 

 months. It is considered that the above observations support the 

 hypothesis that Cimex hemiptera is the true invertebrate host of 

 H. tropica in India. It was also found that H. tropica has an 

 intracellular stage in the cells of the midgut of Cimex hemiptera 

 similar to that of H. donovani. The discovery of this stage in the 

 life-history of the parasite is considered to prove conclusively that 

 C. hemiptera is the true invertebrate host. 



Patton (W. S.), LaFrenais (H. M.) & Sundara Rao ( — ). Studies 

 on the Flagellates of the Genera Hcvpetoinoiias, Crithidia and 

 Rhynchoidoiiioihis. No. 9. Note on the Behaviour of Herpeto- 

 nionas donovani, Laveran and Mesnil, in the Bed Bug, Cimex 

 hemiptera, Fabricius. — Ijid. Jl. Med. Kes., Calcutta, \x, no. 2, 

 October 1921, pp. 252-254. 



Herpetomonas donovani, the organism causing kala-azar, can live 

 as long as 41 days, probably longer, in the midgut of Cimex hemiptera 

 even when the latter is fed six times on clean human blood after the 

 one infected meal. 



Adie (H. a.). Prehminary Note on the Development of the Leishman- 

 Donovan Parasite in Spleen Juice and in the Alimentary Tract of 



Ciincx Icctulariiis (Lin.).- Ind. jl. Med. Res., Calcittla, ix, no. 2, 

 October 1921, pp. 255-260, 4 plates. 



The experiments described were carried out with Cimex hemiptera 

 {rotnndatns) and C. lectulariits, L., fed on spleen-juice mixed with 

 patients blood. 



It appears that the vegetative intracellular and propagative phases 

 of Leishman-Donovan parasites react to stimuli and environment. 

 This is perhaps the reason why kala-azar flourishes in Assam, Madras 

 and the Mediterranean, and other regions where the optimum temper- 

 ature is not exceeded for prolonged periods. The development of 

 the parasite in the human spleen and the stomach of Cimex lectnlarius 

 is described. The flrst part of the intracellular stage in the bed-bug 



(4886) Q 



