Prevalence and seasonal aspects of parasitism by Oestrus ovis (Diptera: Oestridae) in sheep from Mato Grosso State, Brazil.

Oestrus ovis larvae are obligate parasites of vertebrates and cause cavitary myiasis (oestrosis) in sheep and goats. It is also reported as a zoonosis causing ophthalmomyiasis and nasopharyngeal myiasis. Despite being relatively common in Brazil, epidemiological studies on O. ovis are scarce. Considering that the infestation is influenced by the climate and biomes of the studied region, we aimed to investigate the seasonal prevalence of O. ovis among slaughtered sheep in the northern region of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The heads of sheep (n=697) slaughtered at a slaughterhouse in the municipality of Terra Nova do Norte (November 2011 to November 2013) were collected to count, catalog, and identify the larvae found in the upper respiratory tract. Overall, 45.77% (319/697) of the animals were infested with 2,412 recovered larvae, 96.89% (2,337/2,412) of which were identified at the species level as O. ovis. Seasonal variations in prevalence ranged from 41% (spring) to 56% (summer); however, no correlation was observed between prevalence and season, mean humidity, or temperature. In conclusion, parasitism by O. ovis in sheep in the studied area, occurs year-round, considering the occurrence of larvae (L1, L2, and L3) throughout the year, probably because of the area's environmental conditions.

CUTANEOUS MYIASIS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO WELLNESS IN EASTERN BOX TURTLES (TERRAPENE CAROLINA CAROLINA) IN CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS.

Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) face a variety of anthropogenic, infectious, and environmental threats and have been affected by high morbidity and mortality disease events. Wellness parameters in free-ranging eastern box turtles with a high prevalence of myiasis on Cape Cod, MA, were documented to identify epidemiologic trends or associations with several health parameters. There were 109 samples collected from 59 individual box turtles over the course of 4 mon. Six turtles died over the course of this study. Fly larvae infestations varied in severity and were observed in the cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue (n = 18; 30.5%). Animals with myiasis had fewer plastron abnormalities than those without (P = 0.034), and all turtles found in bogs had evidence of fly larvae infections (P < 0.0001). Individuals with myiasis also had lower body condition index (P = 0.014), lower total white blood cells (P = 0.031), lower PCV (P < 0.0001), lower total solids (P < 0.0001), higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.0001), lower calcium (P = 0.018), and lower phosphorus (P = 0.017). Three turtles tested positive for terrapene herpesvirus 1, but presence was not associated with myiasis. Heavy metal analysis revealed no significant differences between turtles with and without myiasis. This study examined the health of a population of eastern box turtles, and continued health assessments will be beneficial in determining the impact of myiasis on future conservation plans.

Case Report: Outbreak of Nosocomial Myiasis by Cochliomyia macellaria (Diptera, Calliphoridae) in a Hospital in Colima, Mexico.

Myiasis in humans is a disease caused by larvae of various fly families. It mainly occurs in communities with poor sanitation and low socioeconomic status. Meanwhile intrahospital or nosocomial myiasis represents a rare phenomenon but is of relevance to public health. Here, we report an outbreak of myiasis caused by Cochliomyia macellaria in five patients hospitalized for several diseases at the Service of Internal Medicine of the Hospital Regional Universitario de Colima, Mexico during June and July 2021. Three patients were males and two were females, aged 37 to 83 years. All were affected by myiasis caused by larvae of the fly C. macellaria. Three patients underwent invasive mechanical ventilation; one had cutaneous basal cell cancer and one had advanced diabetic foot. This event occurred after 4 days of hospitalization and in the same hospital pavilion. Two patients died, and the others were discharged after treatment with antibiotics and ivermectin. We believe that this nosocomial cluster represents a more frequent phenomenon than reported in tropical countries, where authorities should pay attention to its timely detection, especially in vulnerable populations.

Mitochondrial genomic investigation reveals a clear association between species and genotypes of Lucilia and geographic origin in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Lucilia cuprina and L. sericata (family Calliphoridae) are globally significant ectoparasites of sheep. Current literature suggests that only one of these blowfly subspecies, L. cuprina dorsalis, is a primary parasite causing myiasis (flystrike) in sheep in Australia. These species and subspecies are difficult to distinguish using morphological features. Hence, being able to accurately identify blowflies is critical for diagnosis and for understanding their relationships with their hosts and environment. METHODS: In this study, adult blowflies (5 pools of 17 flies; n = 85) were collected from five locations in different states [New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), Tasmania (TAS), Victoria (VIC) and Western Australia (WA)] of Australia and their mitochondrial (mt) genomes were assembled. RESULTS: Each mt genome assembled was ~ 15 kb in size and encoded 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs and a control region. The Lucilia species mt genomes were conserved in structure, and the genes retained the same order and direction. The overall nucleotide composition was heavily biased towards As and Ts-77.7% of the whole genomes. Pairwise nucleotide diversity suggested divergence between Lucilia cuprina cuprina, L. c. dorsalis and L. sericata. Comparative analyses of these mt genomes with published data demonstrated that the blowflies collected from sheep farm in TAS clustered within a clade with L. sericata. The flies collected from an urban location in QLD were more closely related to L. sericata and represented the subspecies L. c. cuprina, whereas the flies collected from sheep farms in NSW, VIC and WA represented the subspecies L. c. dorsalis. CONCLUSIONS: Phylogenetic analyses of the mt genomes representing Lucilia from the five geographic locations in Australia supported the previously demonstrated paraphyly of L. cuprina with respect to L. sericata and revealed that L. c. cuprina is distinct from L. c. dorsalis and that L. c. cuprina is more closely related to L. sericata than L. c. dorsalis. The mt genomes reported here provide an important molecular resource to develop tools for species- and subspecies-level identification of Lucilia from different geographical regions across Australia.

Pedicle myiasis by Lucilia caesar (Diptera, Calliphoridae): An emerging disease in roe deer from north-western Spain.

A total of 35 male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from Lugo province (north-western Spain) were examined for pedicle myiasis between 2020 and 2022. All these animals had died by different causes and were examined or preserved just after their death to avoid post-mortem infestations. After external and internal head inspection, five animals were diagnosed with severe myiasis at the basis of the antlers (14.29%; 95% confidence interval = 5.38-31.04). All the affected bucks presented a cutaneous wound (1.5-15 cm in diameter) around the pedicles with extensive tissue destruction, exposition of frontal and parietal bones, and massive infestation by dipteran larvae (2-12 mm long). Four of five roe deer showed whitish egg clusters adhered to the basis of the antlers. Moreover, in one animal, six larvae had penetrated the cranial cavity, and in two of them larvae were also found in the nasopharyngeal cavity. All the cases were recorded in summer (May-August). Morphological identification and subsequent molecular confirmation revealed that all animals were infested by different larval stages of Lucilia caesar (Diptera: Calliphoridae). This study represents the first report of pedicle myiasis in Spain. Since this disease is reported sporadically, the detection of five cases in a short period of time suggests an increase in the incidence of this myiasis.

Prevalence of Oestrus ovis in small ruminants from the eastern Iberian Peninsula. A long-term study.

Oestrus ovis is an obligate parasite that causes myiasis in domestic ruminants, being commonly found in the Mediterranean area. From 2009 to 2019 a total of 3476 heads of culling sheep and goats from the Mediterranean coast of Spain were examined for the presence of O. ovis. The total prevalence was 56.3%, significantly higher in sheep than in goats (61.2% and 43%, respectively). Differences were found in the mean annual prevalence, with the highest value being registered in 2018 (61.7%) and the lowest in 2012 (50.3%). Autumn, for sheep, and winter, for goats, were the seasons with the highest number of infested specimens. Temperature, but not rainfall, was found to be associated with prevalence (p < 0.05). Most L1 were found in the anatomic region I (septum, meatus, and ventral conchae), while L2 and L3 were mainly located in regions II (nasopharynx, ethmoid labyrinth, and dorsal conchae), and III (sinuses). The overall intensity was 12.8 larvae per head, significantly higher in sheep (13.3) than in goats (3.5). Our results confirm the high prevalence of O. ovis in sheep and goats in this geographic area over the last decade, with the trend increasing in recent years in association with higher mean temperatures.

Developmental dynamics and survival characteristics of the common horse bot flies (Diptera, Gasterophilidae, Gasterophilus) in desert steppe.

The genus Gasterophilus (Diptera, Gastrophilidae) is an obligate parasite of the equine family that causes widespread myiasis in desert steppe. Based on four common naturally excreted Gasterophilus larvae collected systematically in the Karamaili Ungulate Nature Reserve from March to September 2021, this paper studies the population dynamics and ontogenetic laws of horse flies, and discuss the coexistence pattern and population dynamics prediction of horse flies. The results showed that the Gasterophilus larvae had obvious concentrated development period, and the time of population peaks was different, the earliest was G. nigricornis (late March), followed by G. pecorum-Ⅰ (mid-April), G. nasalis (late April), G. intestinalis (early May), G. pecorum-Ⅱ (mid-August). The order of development threshold temperature "Cnigricornis < Cpecorum-Ⅰ ≤ Cpecorum-Ⅱ < Cnasalis < Cintestinalis" is consistent with the peak order of different larval populations. The life history survival rate (L) was as follows: Lnigricornis (83.97%) ≥ Lintestinalis (81.25%) > Lnasalis (72.42%) ≥ Lpecorum-Ⅱ (71.65%) > Lpecorum-Ⅰ (39.23%). This study combined indoor experiments and field surveys revealed the development of horse fly populations with different life strategies in desert grasslands. Based on the different development threshold temperatures of several horse flies, the staggered population dynamics of Gasterophilus form continuous infection stress on the host. In addition, G. pecorum exhibited a univoltine bimodal population distribution in this area and led to two high-intensity host infections, which is one of the important reasons why it has become the dominant species of myiasis in desert steppe.

Traumatic sheep myiasis: A review of the current understanding.

Myiasis, or the infestation of live humans and vertebrate animals by dipterous larvae, is a health issue worldwide. The economic impact and potential threat to animal health and wellbeing of this disease under the animal husbandry sector is considerable. Sheep are a highly vulnerable livestock category exposed to myiasis (sheep strike), due to several unique predisposing factors that attract flies. The successful mitigation of this disease relies on a thorough understanding of fly population dynamics associated with the change in weather patterns and the evaluation of this disease through different branches of science such as chemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology. The present review provides a summary of the existing knowledge of strike in sheep, discussed in relation to the application of volatile organic compounds, metagenomics, and molecular biology, and their use regarding implementing fly control strategies such as traps, and to increase the resilience of sheep to this disease through improving their health and wellbeing.

Number of rainy days in a week influencing screwworm navel myiasis in beef calves and efficacies of injectable and topical antiparasitics.

Rainfall incidence as a risk factor for umbilical myiasis by Cochliomyia hominivorax in newborn beef cattle and the preventive and curative efficacies of injectable and topical products against its larvae were evaluated. The prevalence of navel myiasis did not differ between sex, however, it did differ between seasons of the year, independent of animal sex, with it being higher in the rainy season than in the dry season for both sexes (males 64.6%, females 62.1%). During the rainy season, rains occurred intermittently and the number of rainy days in a week had a direct influence on prevalence, with an increase (≥87%) in the number of calves with navel myiasis caused by C. hominivorax. When it rained intermittently for four, five and six days in a week during the rainy season, calves had ≈12, 24 and 11 times greater chances, respectively, of having navel myiasis compared to a week without rain during the rainy season. The injectable products did not reach preventive efficacies higher than 35%, while all treatments of topic products reached 100% preventive efficacy at 10 days post-treatment. Only the formulations with 30% dichlorfenthion and 0.32% fipronil achieved 100% curative efficacy. The results reinforce the need for intensified inspection and healing of the umbilicus during the rainy season, mainly during rainier weeks. Furthermore, topical formulations may be a better alternative as a preventive treatment than avermectin formulations. However, the curative efficacy of the topical product containing dichlorvos did not demonstrate a relationship with preventive efficacy for newborn calves.

Prevalence and pathology of Cephalopina titillator infestation in Camelus bactrianus from Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: In camels, nasopharyngeal myiasis is caused by the larvae of Cephalopina titillator, which parasitize the tissues of nasal and paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. C. titillator infestation adversely affects the health of camels and decreases milk and meat production and even death. However, the C. titillator infestation in Bactrian camels has not been widely studied. METHODS: The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of C. titillator in Bactrian camels of northwestern Xinjiang. Suspected larvae recovered from infested camels were evaluated for C. titillator by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. Nucleotide sequences of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) and cytochrome b (CYTB) genes from the C. titillator of camels were aligned from the NCBI database. Furthermore, the gross and histopathological alterations associated with C. titillator infestation were evaluated via pathological examination. RESULTS: Of 1263 camels examined 685 (54.2%) camels were infested with suspected C. titillator larvae. Different larval stages were topically detected in the nasal passages and pharynx of the camel heads. Microscopy analysis of the pharyngeal mucosa tissue revealed necrotic tissue debris and some inflammatory cells. Molecular detection of the larval COX1 and CYTB genes indicated that pathogen collected in Bactrian camels was C. titillator. The epidemiological study demonstrated that the prevalence rate of C.titillator infestation was significantly higher in camels of Bestierek Town Pasture (67.2%) and Karamagai Town Pasture (63.6%) compared to Kitagel Town Pasture (38.7%) and Qibal Town Pasture (35.8%) (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the prevalence rates in male (52.6%) and female (54.6%) camels (P > 0.05). The prevalence was higher in warm (64.2%) than that in cold (48.4%) seasons (P < 0.001). The prevalence in camels with non-nomadic method (67.2%) was significantly higher than in animals with nomadic method (47.5%) (P < 0.001). The prevalence of C.titillator infestation was significantly higher in animals of aged 5-10 (60.1%) and aged > 10 (61.1%) years old compared to those of aged < 5 (31.7%) years old camels (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that there is a high prevalence of C. titillator in Bactrian camels from Xinjiang, closely related to age, season, pasture environment, and husbandry methods. Developing prevention, diagnosis, and control programs to prevent transmission is necessary.

Botfly Parasitism on Two Primates of the Cebidae Family in Peru.

Botflies (Diptera:Oestridae) are a diverse group of insect parasites that affect various vertebrate species. There are previous reports of myiasis affecting wild primates in Central and South America; however, information about botfly parasitism in Peruvian primates is scarce. We present data from two Cebidae primate specimens: a rescued large-headed capuchin monkey (Sapajus macrocephalus) housed at Taricaya Rescue Center, in Tambopata, Peru, and a free-ranging white-fronted capuchin monkey (Cebus albifrons aequatorialis) inhabiting Cerros de Amotape National Park. The first specimen had a larva identified as Dermatobia hominis, whereas Cuterebra baeri larvae infested the second. In both cases we initially identified the parasite species through their morphologic features before confirming the identification with genetic analysis through the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene sequencing of the larvae. Further field studies on the primate-parasite dynamics are needed to understand the impact of botfly myiasis on primate populations.

Traumatic myiasis by Wohlfahrtia magnifica in sheep flocks from southeastern Spain: prevalence and risk factors.

Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is an obligate myiasis-causing fly of livestock that is widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean basin. A total of 73 683 sheep from 122 flocks in Albacete Province (southeastern [SE] Spain) were examined to detect active traumatic myiasis. The influence of several individual and flock factors on the prevalence was also assessed. The overall flock prevalence of traumatic myiasis was 95.9%, with an individual prevalence of 7.1%. Wohlfahrtia magnifica was identified in all of the positive animals except one that was infested by Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Adults of both genders showed a higher risk of infestation than juveniles, whereas males of all ages displayed an increased risk of infestation than females of all ages; the existence of a lambing building on the farm, poor husbandry facilities and the location area were also identified as risk factors. Prevalence was highest in the summer, and the fly season lasted from March to November. Genitalia were the main location of infestation in males (94.4%) and females (76.3%). Our results reveal that traumatic myiasis by W. magnifica is widespread in southeastern Spain, hence preventive measures minimizing the attractiveness of sheep to gravid flies are necessary to avoid health and welfare problems and significant production losses in sheep flocks.

Oral myiasis affecting paediatric patients: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Oral myiasis is a rare condition caused by Dipteran larvae that feed on living or dead tissues, ingested food or body fluids. It affects immunocompromised individuals with low socioeconomic status or those unable to maintain proper hygiene. Cases of oral myiasis are scarce but debilitating in children. We conducted a systematic review to understand the nature of disease, its causative factors, treatment and ways to prevent the occurrence of this condition among children. METHODOLOGY: The review was carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines. A systematic electronic literature search was conducted on major databases using keywords in combination with Boolean Operators. Manuscripts discussing cases of oral myiasis in paediatric patients were included in the review. RESULTS: The exhaustive literature search and evaluation of full texts revealed 32 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A total of 68 cases of oral myiasis were reported from 2 to 16 years of children, majorly involving gingiva of maxillary anterior region and palate. CONCLUSION: The dreadful condition of myiasis can be prevented by decreasing the number of flies, maintenance of good hygiene and by educating the susceptible population. Affected children must be managed by following proper treatment regimens.

Children hospitalized for myiasis in a reference center in Uruguay / Niños hospitalizados por miasis en un centro de referencia de Uruguay

Abstract Background: Myiasis is an emerging disease caused by tissue invasion of dipteran larvae. In Uruguay, Cochliomyia hominivorax and Dermatobia hominis are the most frequent species. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and the follow-up of children < 15 years hospitalized for myiasis in a reference center in Uruguay between 2010 and 2019. Methods: We conducted a descriptive and retrospective study by reviewing medical records. We analyzed the following variables: age, sex, comorbidities, origin, the month at admission, clinical manifestations, other parasitoses, treatments, complications, and larva species identified. Results: We found 63 hospitalized children: median age of 7 years (1 month-14 years), 68% of females. We detected risk comorbidities for myiasis (33%), of which chronic malnutrition was the most frequent (n = 6); 84% were from the south of the country; 76% were hospitalized during the summer. Superficial and multiple cutaneous involvements were found in 86%: of the scalp 50, furunculoid type 51, secondary to C. hominivorax 98.4%, and to D. hominis in 1.6%. As treatments, larval extraction was detected in all of them, surgical in 22%. Asphyctic products for parasites were applied in 94%, ether in 49. Antimicrobials were prescribed in 95%; cephradine and ivermectin were the most frequent. About 51% presented infectious complications: impetigo was found in 29, cellulitis in 2, and abscess in 1. Conclusions: Myiasis predominantly affected healthy schoolchildren during the summer months and was frequently associated with ectoparasites. Superficial infestation of the furuncle-like scalp by C. hominivorax was the most frequent form. Infectious complications motivated hospitalizations.

Resumen Introducción: La miasis es una enfermedad emergente producida por la invasión tisular por larvas de dípteros. En Uruguay, Cochliomyia hominivorax y Dermatobia hominis son las especies más frecuentes. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las características epidemiológicas y clínicas, y el seguimiento, de niños menores de 15 años hospitalizados por miasis en un centro de referencia del Uruguay entre 2010 y 2019. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo mediante la revisión de las historias clínicas. Se analizaron las siguientes variables: edad, sexo, comorbilidad, procedencia, mes al ingreso, cuadro clínico, otras parasitosis, tratamientos, complicaciones y especie de larva identificada. Resultados: Se encontraron 63 casos de niños hospitalizados, con una mediana de edad de 7 años (rango: 1 mes a 14 años) y el 68% de sexo femenino. Se identificó comorbilidad de riesgo para miasis (33%), siendo la desnutrición crónica la más frecuente (n = 6). El 84% eran procedentes del sur del país y el 76% fueron hospitalizados en los meses estivales. Se encontró afectación cutánea superficial y múltiple en el 86%: de cuero cabelludo en 50, de tipo forunculoide en 51, secundaria a C. hominivorax en el 98.4% y a D. hominis en el 1.6%. Se realizó extracción larvaria en todos los casos, que fue quirúrgica en el 22%. Se aplicaron productos asfícticos para parásitos en el 94%, con éter en 49 niños. Se prescribieron antimicrobianos en el 95%; los más usados fueron cefradina e ivermectina. El 51% presentaron complicaciones infecciosas: 29 impétigo, 2 celulitis y 1 absceso. Conclusiones: La miasis afectó predominantemente a escolares sanos y durante los meses estivales, y se encontró frecuentemente asociada con ectoparasitosis. La infestación superficial del cuero cabelludo de tipo forunculoide por C. hominivorax fue la forma más frecuente. Las complicaciones infecciosas motivaron las hospitalizaciones.

Children hospitalized for myiasis in a reference center in Uruguay.

BACKGROUND: Myiasis is an emerging disease caused by tissue invasion of dipteran larvae. In Uruguay, Cochliomyia hominivorax and Dermatobia hominis are the most frequent species. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and the follow-up of children < 15 years hospitalized for myiasis in a reference center in Uruguay between 2010 and 2019. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive and retrospective study by reviewing medical records. We analyzed the following variables: age, sex, comorbidities, origin, the month at admission, clinical manifestations, other parasitoses, treatments, complications, and larva species identified. RESULTS: We found 63 hospitalized children: median age of 7 years (1 month-14 years), 68% of females. We detected risk comorbidities for myiasis (33%), of which chronic malnutrition was the most frequent (n = 6); 84% were from the south of the country; 76% were hospitalized during the summer. Superficial and multiple cutaneous involvements were found in 86%: of the scalp 50, furunculoid type 51, secondary to C. hominivorax 98.4%, and to D. hominis in 1.6%. As treatments, larval extraction was detected in all of them, surgical in 22%. Asphaltic products for parasites were applied in 94%, ether in 49. Antimicrobials were prescribed in 95%; cephradine and ivermectin were the most frequent. About 51% presented infectious complications, impetigo was found in 29, cellulitis in 2, and abscess in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Myiasis predominantly affected healthy schoolchildren during the summer months and was frequently associated with ectoparasites. Superficial infestation of the furuncle-like scalp by C. hominivorax was the most frequent form. Infectious complications motivated hospitalizations.

Seroepizootiological investigation on Goat Warble Fly Infestation (Przhevalskiana silenus) in Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan.

Goat Warble Fly Infestation (GWFI) is also known as subcutaneous myiasis caused by Przhevalskiana silenus (Diptera: Oestridae). It is widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. In goats, WFI is usually detected through conventional procedure which underestimated the infestation. The current study was designed to determine the serodiagonsis of GWFI (through IDEXX Hypodermosis serum antibody test) and also aimed to investigate its seroepizootiological profile in Pothwar region, Pakistan from 2013-14. The results showed that average seropositivity (ELISA kit) of GWFI was 18.5% whereas, it was 11% by using conventional procedure (Palpation method) depicting a significant difference (p<0.05). Higher seropositivity (30.8%) was observed in Jhelum district as compared to e Attock district (6%). The L1 larvae were found in September, while nodules start appearing in October to December and last until the end of February. The month wise peaks of optical density (OD) was higher in December which gradually decrease along with the end of winter season. The prevalence of GWFI revealed no significant difference among three host breeds (Jattal, Beetal and Tedy). According to the results, high infestation rate (28%) was observed in young animals of age group < 1 year as compared to old animals (> 2 years). Topographically, hilly areas (33%) provide favourable climatic conditions for the propagating of larval stages. Sex difference showed no significant difference. The seroprevalence varied significantly with respect to age, month, districts and topographical location. The current study proved that serologic diagnosis (commercial ELISA kit) as more sensitive and accurate for timely diagnosis of GWFI than traditional method. The information on the epizootiology of P. silenus in goats of Pothwar region would help in devising effective control strategies.

First molecular characterization of hypodermin genes of Hypoderma bovis and serodiagnosis of bovine hypodermosis with recombinant hypodermin C antigen and a synthetic peptide containing its linear B-cell epitope.

Hypodermins A (HA), B (HB), and C (HC) of warble flies are modulatory antigens involved in host inflammation and immune responses during migration of the warble fly larvae through host connective tissues. In the current study, molecular characteristics of the genes encoding HA, HB, and HC were revealed from cDNA constructs of third-instar larvae of Hypoderma bovis. The open reading frame (ORF) of each hypodermin gene was amplified with modified gene-specific primers, and the resulting PCR products were cloned into pGEM-T Easy Vector to produce recombinant plasmids (rHA, rHB, and rHC). The ORF sequences of rHA, rHB, and rHC genes are 705 bp, 771 bp, and 783 bp long and encode proteins of 234, 256, and 263 amino acids with predicted sizes of 25.74 kDa, 27.79 kDa, and 28.51 kDa, respectively. The rHC gene was subcloned into the pET 100/D-TOPO Expression Vector, and the recombinant HC was purified using affinity chromatography. Western blotting indicated that rHC was recognized by the sera of cattle naturally infested with H. bovis. The rHC and a synthetic peptide (sHC) containing its linear B cell-specific epitope were evaluated as serological markers in indirect ELISA (iELISA) for the diagnosis of bovine hypodermosis. Both sHC and rHC iELISAs had sensitivity values equal to or higher than 90 % and specificity values of 100 %. A total of 200 serum samples from cattle in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were also analyzed by rHC and sHC-iELISAs to reveal the seroprevalence of bovine hypodermosis. The results of both iELISAs were consistent with one another and revealed a hypodermosis prevalence of 62 %. Our study provides the first data on molecular characterization of hypodermin genes of H. bovis and indicates the efficacy of recombinant antigen and peptide-based iELISA for serodiagnosis of bovine hypodermosis.

Oftalmomiasis / Ophthalmomiasis

La oftalmomiasis es una enfermedad poco frecuente, causada por artrópodos; en este caso por la mosca adulta. Presentamos el caso de una paciente femenina, de 44 años de edad, con antecedentes de inmunosupresión severa secundaria a VIH, quien fue atendida en el Servicio de Oftalmología por molestia ocular. Presentaba un aumento de volumen circunscrito en conjuntiva que se extendía sobre la córnea nasal del ojo izquierdo, de aspecto blanco nacarado, deslustrado. Se le realizó exéresis de la lesión y crioterapia. Posteriormente se le aplicó colirio de mitomicina C. A los siete meses la paciente regresó a la consulta con un cuadro de complicación franca y severa de la lesión, con destrucción de los tejidos de la órbita y múltiples cavernas ocupadas por cientos de larvas de moscas(AU)

Ophthalmomiasis is a rare disease, caused by arthropods; in this case by the adult fly. We present the case of a 44-year-old female patient, with a history of severe immunosuppression secondary to HIV, who was treated at the Ophthalmology Service for ocular discomfort. She presented a circumscribed increase in volume in the conjunctiva that extended over the nasal cornea of ​​the left eye, with a pearly white, tarnished appearance. Excision of the lesion and cryotherapy were performed. Subsequently, mitomycin C eye drops were applied. Seven months later, the patient returned to the consultation with a frank and severe complication of the lesion, with destruction of the tissues of the orbit and multiple caverns occupied by hundreds of fly larvae(AU)

Prevalence of tracheopulmonary myiasis amidst humans.

Myiasis is a parasitic infestation of live vertebrates with the dipteran larvae that grow within the host while feeding on its living or dead tissue. Human myiasis is prevalent among individuals in close association of domestic animals and those inhabiting the unhygienic conditions. Open neglected suppurative wounds are the favourable sites that attract and stimulate the gravid female flies for oviposition. However, the poor personal hygiene, ignorance and the mental illness further add to it. Tracheopulmonary myiasis involves the infestation of foul smelling nasal and oral orifices or neglected wounds like tracheostomal incisions with the parasitic dipteran larvae which may extend up to the trachea, bronchi and lungs leading to serious health complications. Despite the incidence of human tracheopulmonary infestation is rare, the severe medical impediments and heterogeneous worldwide distribution signify the medical importance of this condition. The present manuscript reviews and summarizes the worldwide reported cases of human tracheopulmonary myiasis and the predisposing risk factors for onset of the same, as future reference for parasitologists and medical professionals.