Evaluation of the Residual Efficacy of Actellic300 CS in Simple Huts in Central Ethiopia.

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is one of the key vector control tools with a long history of use in the world. Ethiopia has set a goal to eliminate malaria from selected districts mainly by applying IRS and the distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets. IRS is applied in low malaria transmission districts which are epidemic prone and in districts with high malaria transmission. Ethiopia uses insecticides that are recommended by World Health Organization; these insecticides must also be registered in Ethiopia. The registration of new and potential products requires confirmatory, local efficacy trials to be performed. Actellic 300CS, now registered, is one of such potential product. Actellic 300CS showed average mortalities of 99.6%, 99.6%, and 99.0% on the sprayed surfaces in the experimental huts, the top, middle, and bottom sections, respectively during the first 6 mo of the study period. Beyond 6 mo, (7, 8, and 9 mo) follow-up, mortalities for the top, middle, and bottom sections were 85.2%, 86.3%, and 85.2%, respectively. The results showed that the residual efficacy of Actellic 300CS was up to 9 mo with the first 6 mo exhibiting mortalities of greater than 99% while the next 3 mo showed mortalities exceeding 85%. Actellic 300CS was effective against fully susceptible laboratory-reared Anopheles arabiensis on all four surface types (rough, smooth, dung, and painted surfaces) tested in this study and could be used as one of the chemical insecticides of choice for the ongoing IRS programs in Ethiopia.

Comprehensive study on the occurrence and distribution of pathogenic microorganisms carried by synanthropic flies caught at different rural locations in Germany.

In the current study, samples of 50 synanthropic flies were collected from each of five rural locations used for domestic animal husbandry (specifically a cattle barn, a dog pound, a horse stable, and a pigpen). Flies were examined using a variety of microbiological methods to determine the pathogenic agents that they carried. The most frequently sampled species were Musca domestica (L.) (51%) followed by Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (24%). All fly species were found to carry an array of different pathogenic bacterial and fungal species. Among these were human pathogens such as Campylobacter jejuni and Escherichia coli-strains (EHEC, EPEC, and ETEC) and the fungi Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis. The germs could be detected in the intestines as well as on the exoskeletons of the flies. The current study confirms and supplements the general knowledge about pathogens that may be transmitted to domestic animals and humans by synanthropic flies.

The house fly (Musca domestica) as a potential vector of metazoan parasites caught in a pig-pen in Germany.

In the present study a total of 224 specimens of the synanthropic house fly (Musca domestica) were caught in a pig-pen of an organic farmer in Dormagen (Germany). The flies were examined for their potential as a carrier of metazoan parasites. On the exoskeletons and in the intestines of the flies the eggs and/or larvae of four endoparasite nematode species of domestic pigs (Ascaris suum, Strongyloides ransomi, Metastrongylus sp., undetermined Strongylida) were isolated. Also one ectoparasite species, the hog louse (Haematopinus suis), was detected on the exoskeleton of one fly. The analysis of the pig faeces as potential source revealed many eggs and larvae of nematodes. A high number of A. suum eggs (62.0% of all found nematode eggs), many eggs of strongylid nematodes (21.0%), some eggs of S. ransomi and few eggs of Trichuris suis were detected. However Metastrongylus sp. could not be identified in the faeces. Further laboratory experiments verified the potential of the house fly as a transmitter of the pig parasites A. suum and T. suis. In the intestines of 59 flies (49.2%) from 120 experimentally used house flies, nematode eggs of both nematode species were detected. The present study clearly demonstrates the potential of the house fly as a vector of metazoan pig parasites.

Pilot study on synanthropic flies (e.g. Musca, Sarcophaga, Calliphora, Fannia, Lucilia, Stomoxys) as vectors of pathogenic microorganisms.

In the present study, different fly species were associated with foodborne and other pathogens. Wild synanthropic flies belonging to 12 species of 12 genera were caught for the isolation and identification of microorganisms, which might have been possibly transmitted by these flies. Trapping of flies was done at different domestic animal related places (dog pound, poultry house, cattle barn, horse stable, pigpen). All 56 individual flies were shown to be carriers of multiple species of microorganisms. Furthermore, the capacity for the flies to act as vectors was demonstrated by successful transfer of the microorganisms from live flies to blood agar plates. Potentially pathogenic and several non-pathogenic microorganisms were found. Among them, a series of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains (EAEC, EPEC, ETEC) was identified. This is the first study to clearly demonstrate the potential of these flies as vectors for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms.