First reports of nasal and traumatic myiasis infection in endangered Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii).
Abstract: Myiasis has great economic and medical importance. However, myiasis in wildlife that is caused by oestroid flies is relatively rarely recorded compared with that in humans and domestic animals. Recently, during our research on the conservation of Przewalski's horse (PH), we observed two new records of oestroid flies parasitizing wildlife in China. The first is the horse nasal bot fly, Rhinoestrus sp. (Diptera: Oestridae), found in a dead PH from Kalamaili Nature Reserve. One morphotype (R. purpureus-like) was identified. The second is the Wohlfahrt's wound myiasis fly, Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner, 1862) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), which was collected from an open wound of a PH in the Wild Horse Breeding Research Centre. These observations extend the records of known hosts of these two oestroid myiasis agents. To the knowledge of the authors, infestation by Rhinoestrus and Wohlfahrtia larvae causing myiasis in wildlife has not been reported in China previously.
Publication Date: 2019-03-24 PubMed ID: 30976513PubMed Central: PMC6441744DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.018Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This study reports new cases of nasal and traumatic myiasis (a parasitic infestation by flies) in endangered Przewalski’s horse (PH) populations, specifically linking the identification of two types of fly species that have not previously been recognized as causing such infestations in wildlife in China.
Research Topic and Goal
- The research primarily deals with a detailed study of nasal and traumatic myiasis in endangered Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). Myiasis is a parasitic infestation of the body of a live mammal by fly larvae (maggots) that feed on the host’s dead or living tissue, body substances, or ingested food.
- The goal of this study was to identify and register new cases of myiasis in Przewalski’s horses caused by different fly species in China that have previously not been associated with such infections.
Methodology
- The researchers conducted an in-depth investigation on various affected Przewalski’s horses in Kalamaili Nature Reserve and Wild Horse Breeding Research Centre in China.
- They identified and collected different fly species from the dead and wounded horses. The nasal and wound myiasis infecting agents were then identified through a morphological comparison to known fly species.
Findings
- The researchers found infestations by two fly species corresponding to the horse nasal bot fly and Wohlfahrt’s wound myiasis fly.
- The horse nasal bot fly (family Oestridae) was found in a dead Przewalski’s horse from Kalamaili Nature Reserve, China.
- Wohlfahrt’s wound myiasis fly (family Sarcophagidae) was found in an open wound of a Przewalski’s horse in the Wild Horse Breeding Research Centre, China.
Significance of the Research
- These findings are of considerable importance as this is the first time these two species of flies have been recorded as myiasis-causing agents in wildlife in China.
- The research brings new insights into the diversity of oestroid fly species and their ability to cause myiasis. It also highlights the need for further research to understand more about these fly species, their distribution, and their potential impact on wildlife health and conservation.
Cite This Article
APA
Yan L, Zhang M, Tang L, Ente M, Ma X, Chu H, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D.
(2019).
First reports of nasal and traumatic myiasis infection in endangered Przewalski’s horses (Equus ferus przewalskii).
Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl, 9, 21-24.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.018 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
- Xinjiang Research Centre for Breeding Przewalski's Horse, Xinjiang, China.
- Xinjiang Research Centre for Breeding Przewalski's Horse, Xinjiang, China.
- Wildlife Conservation Office of Altay Prefecture, Altay, Xinjiang, China.
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
- School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
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