filaria

fi·lar·i·a   (fə-lâr'ē-ə)    n.   pl. fi·lar·i·ae (-ē-ē') Any of various slender, threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filarioidea that are parasitic in vertebrates and are often transmitted as larvae by mosquitos and other biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues, causing inflammation and obstruction that can lead to elephantiasis. [New Latin Fīlāria, former genus name, from Latin fīlum, thread; see gwhī- in Indo-European roots.] fi·lar'i·al (-ē-əl), fi·lar'i·an (-ē-ən) adj.

Main Entry: fi·lar·ia
Pronunciation: f&-'lar-E-&, -'ler-
Function: noun
1 Inflected Form: plural fi·lar·i·ae /-E-"E, -"I/
: any of numerous slender filamentous nematodes that as adults are parasites in the blood or tissues of birds or mammals andas larvae usually develop in biting insects (as fleas or mosquitos) that belong to the superfamily Filarioidea, and that for the most part were once included in the genus Filaria but are nowdivided among various genera (as Wuchereria and Onchocerca)
2 capitalized, in former classifications : a genus of nematodes that included most of thefilarial worms

filaria fi·lar·i·a (fə-lâr'ē-ə)
n. pl. fi·lar·i·ae (-ē-ē')
Any of various threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filarioidea parasitic in vertebrates and often transmitted as larvae by biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues, causing inflammation and obstruction that can lead to elephantiasis.

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fi·lar'i·al (-ē-əl) or fi·lar'i·an (-ē-ən) adj.

filaria   (fə-lâr'ē-ə)  Pronunciation Key  Plural filariae (fə-lâr'ē-ē') Any of various slender, threadlike nematode worms of the superfamily Filarioidea that are parasitic in vertebrates and are often transmitted as larvae by mosquitoes and other biting insects. The adult form lives in the blood and lymphatic tissues and can cause inflammation and obstruction of lymphatic vessels.