Loa Loa Roundworm

Loa loa („Eye Worm“) belongs to roundworms (Nematoda). It is a human parasite that causes the disease called filariasis. The life cycle is relatively complex and apart from the main host(human) includes intermediate hosts, which are biting flies. Their sting can in Africa and India inject loa loa larvae into the human body. Larvae grow in the subcutaneous tissue where they mature. After fertilization, females produce microfilaria, which are larval stages reminiscent miniature adults. Microfilaria tend to concentrate in human body fluids, including blood. Withb lood are again sucked by biting flies in which they migrate to their thoracic muscles. There, they develop to larvae that grow and after reaching a suitable size migrate to the proboscis of biting flies. There wait for a biting fly to bite a human and so transmit them, thereby closing the life cycle.