Survival, activity and release of antigenic excretory secretory products and microfilariae of Setaria digitata maintained in artificial media.

The survival, activity and release of excretory secretory products from Setaria digitata, the filarial worm of cattle was studied. Adult female worms were maintained in vitro in DMEM and Tyrode solution. Worms incubated in DMEM were alive and very active for 2 days. The activity was moderate for another 2 days and after the fourth day increased mortality was observed. Antigenic excretory secretory products were also released. Worms incubated in Tyrode solution were very active without any mortality up to 4 h of incubation. Copious amount of ova and microfilaria were shed by the incubated worms in a time-dependent manner.