Morphology
Adults are white and thread-like, and have been found to be cylindrical in shape. Males are 35–55 mm long and 45-60 μm wide. Females are bigger, 70–80 mm long and 80-120 μm wide. The tail is half a coil in females and a full coil in males. Adult worms are rarely seen, but sometimes can be recovered from a laparotomy or autopsy.
Microfilariae of M. perstans are unsheathed, have blunt tails, and their nuclei extend to the end of the tail. The microfilariae have a length of 200 μm, and a width of 4.5 μms. They have the ability to elongate and contract, so they can vary in measurement and form. They are smaller than those of Loa loa, which have tapered tails and are frequently coiled. The microfilariae of M. perstans are smaller than those of W. bancrofti and the caudal end is blunt with a terminal nucleus.
Read more about this topic: Mansonella Perstans
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