Abstract
Larvae of the dog hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, can invade and remain infective for more than 1 year in the tissues of various rodents (Nichols, 1956). As these larvae can infect cats and dogs by mouth as well as by skin, it is possible that infected rodents may serve as natural paratenic hosts. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether insects may serve as paratenic hosts in the same manner. Cockroaches were chosen for investigation because they are commonly eaten by cats, they are likely to be in contact with hookworm larvae under natural conditions, and they have been suggested as natural paratenic hosts for other nematode parasites of cats (Sprent, 1956).
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