998 Parasitic Thread Worms in the Skin. 



swelling has developed, the hair of the submaxillary region becomes 

 bristly and matted by dried droplets of serum. Soon the hair falls out, 

 and narrow whitish stripes arise on the skin running in bow shape, 

 and covered with scales ; they itch intensely, and change into ' ' summer 

 sores" as a result of rubbing. Disinfectant fomentations and applica- 

 tions of zinc oxide and camphor ointment proved effective. 



While Ablaire assumes nocturnal parasites as a cause of the disease, 

 Langiny believes it to be due to fly stings ; Diudonne, Cadiot & Railliet 

 refer it to the presence of oestrus larvae. (The creeping about of the 

 larvae of Gastrophilus nasalis was noticed in the skin of man in Russia.) 

 Nicolas & Cazenave, however, consider the complaint to be a superficial 

 inflammation of the lymphatic vessels in the skin which progresses 

 centrally, vet Petit saw no signs of a Ivmphangitis in such cases under 

 the microscope. Ablaire, Bull, 1905, 538.— Langiny, Bull., 1908, 279.— 

 Nicolas & Cazenave, ibid., 1908, 287. 



3. Filaria immitis. The embryos of this worm live in the 

 blood of dogs (see A^ol. I), while the sexually mature worm 

 occurs in the right half of the heart and in the blood vessels, also 

 in the subcutaneous and intermuscular connective tissue, and 

 either free or enclosed in cysts which one can feel under the skin 

 (v. Ratz found them in great number in the subcutaneous and 

 intermuscular connective tissue of three young Italian grey- 

 hounds). 



4. Filaria bancrofti. This thin worm which may attain a 

 length of 50 cm. lives in tropical regions under the skin of man 

 in the IjTiiph vessels, and causes a very great thickening of the 

 legs (elephantiasis Arabuni), while its embryos circulate in the 

 blood in large number. Its larvae live in crustacese of fresh 

 water (Cyclops), they are taken up with these in the drinking 

 water, and are set free in the stomach after digestion of the 

 crustaceae. In the same regions the worm is also encountered 

 under the skin of cattle, horses and clogs, and several worms 

 may frequently be met with at the same time (Plot, Railliet). 



Rivolta, later Siedamgrotzky, Schneider and Kiinnemann each found 

 in a case of circumscribed inflammation of the skin of a dog a lively 

 moving thread-like worm in the contents of pustules examined under the 

 microscope, which probably belong to the Anguillulides and had gained 

 access to the skin of the animal while lying on infested places. 



In deer Kless found the Filaria flexuosa (Fil. terebra) which gives 

 rise to the formation of nodules in the subcutaneous connective tissue; 

 isolated nodules of this kind were visible on the skin as bluish and 

 Avhite elevations. 



Literature. Cinotti, N. Ere, 1906, 466.— Kless, Z. f. Flhyg., 1908, XVII, 

 116.— Kiinnemann, D. t. W., 1905, 269.— Schneider, O. M., 1894, 337.— Siedam- 

 grotzkv, S. B., 1883, 19. 



