Survival of the first stage larva of the metastrongyloid nematode Elaphostrongylus rangiferi under various conditions of temperature and humidity

First-stage larvae of E. rangiferi kept in water at 50°C died within 80 minutes, while at 6° the last larvae died between day 180 and 210. The time it took to reach 1_x= 0.5 (half of the larvae dead) at various temperatures between 6° and 50° was well described by the exponential function y = 614.6e^−0.15x, giving a value of 615 days to reach 1_x= 0.5 at 0°C. There was no clear decrease in the survival of larvae frozen at −20° in faeces and in water, and at −80° in faeces after 360 days. When subjected to repealed freezing and thawing, all larvae died within 77 days. When kept in air at RH = 20% and 22°C, all larvae died within 11 days, while when frozen (−20°C) in air at RH approx. 0%, 1_x stayed at approx. 0.5 from day 5 to day 16.