The effect of different types of skin surfaces on the transmission of Brugia pahangi infective larvae by the mosquito Aedes aegypti.

The transmission of Brugia pahangi from Aedes aegypti into Meriones unguiculatus was compared for four different skin surfaces (HAIRY, CLOTH, CLEAN, GREASY). Unshaven jirds reduced the feeding avidity of infective mosquitoes. The loss of larvae from infective mosquitoes was greatest when these insects fed on "exposed" skin surfaces. Significantly fewer infective larvae penetrated the host when infective mosquitoes fed on a jird through a thin layer of cloth.