| Microfilariae refer to the larvae forms of the tissue filarial nematodes. Over 200 species are known, but less than a dozen infect humans. The adult forms normally stay in the tissues, such as the lymph vessels, while the microfilariae (image) migrate through the host. The human species are differentiated by the presence or absence of a sheath (arrow) and how far the nuclei descend into the tail. |  |
Copyright 2008 Don Lehman