FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife2019; 9; 21-24; doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.018

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.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-03-24 PubMed ID: 30976513PubMed Central: PMC6441744DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.03.018Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

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

International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife
ISSN: 2213-2244
NlmUniqueID: 101599824
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Pages: 21-24

Researcher Affiliations

Yan, Liping
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Zhang, Ming
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Tang, Liping
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Ente, Make
  • Xinjiang Research Centre for Breeding Przewalski's Horse, Xinjiang, China.
Ma, Xinping
  • Xinjiang Research Centre for Breeding Przewalski's Horse, Xinjiang, China.
Chu, Hongjun
  • Wildlife Conservation Office of Altay Prefecture, Altay, Xinjiang, China.
Li, Kai
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Hu, Defu
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Zhang, Dong
  • School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.

References

This article includes 27 references
  1. Angulo-Valadez C.E., Scholl P.J., Cepeda-Palacios R., Jacquiet P., Dorchies P.. Nasal bots. . . a fascinating world!. Vet. Parasitol. 2010;174:19–25.
    pubmed: 20837381
  2. Colwell D.D., Hall M.J., Scholl P.J.. The Oestrid Flies: Biology, Host-Parasite Relationships, Impact and Management. CABI; Oxfordshire: 2006.
  3. Czosnek T.. Gasterophilus infestation, the cause of death in a mare. Med. Weter. 1988;44:346.
  4. Diakakis N., Papadopoulos E., Hall M.J., Desiris A.. Post-traumatic complication due to Wohlfahrtia magnifica larvae on a horse. Vet. Rec. 2006;158:170.
    pubmed: 16461627
  5. Farkas R., Hall M.J., Bouzagou A.K., Lhor Y., Khallaayoune K.. Traumatic myiasis in dogs caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica and its importance in the epidemiology of wohlfahrtiosis of livestock. Med. Vet. Entomol. 2009;23:80–85.
    pubmed: 19335833
  6. Gaglio G., Brianti E., Abbene S., Giannetto S.. Genital myiasis by Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Diptera, Sarcophagidae) in sicily (Italy). Parasitol. Res. 2011;109:1471–1474.
    pubmed: 21541751
  7. Getac hew A.M., Innocent G., Trawford A.F., Reid S.W.J.R., Love S.. Gasterophilosis: a major cause of rectal prolapse in working donkeys in Ethiopia. Trop. Anim. Health Prod. 2012;44:757–762.
    pubmed: 21870062
  8. Grunin K.J.. Oestridae. In: Lindner E., editor. Die fliegen der palaearktischen region. Schweizerbart'sche; Stuttgart: 1966. pp. 72–79. 64a.
  9. Hall M., Wall R.. Myiasis of humans and domestic animals. Adv. Parasitol. 1995;35:257–334.
    pubmed: 7709854
  10. Hall M.J., Wall R.L., Stevens J.R.. Traumatic myiasis: a neglected disease in a changing world. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2016;61:159–176.
    pubmed: 26667275
  11. Han Y., Li M.N., Zhao Q., Jiang X.Y., Zhang C.Y.. Study on the fly-bown of the wound and control of the fly-blown in rabbits. J. Econ. Anim. 1998;2:20–23.
  12. Hilali M.A., Mahdy O.A., Attia M.M.. Monthly variations of Rhinoestrus spp. (Diptera: Oestridae) larvae infesting donkeys in Egypt: morphological and molecular identification of third stage larvae. J. Adv. Res. 2015;6:1015–1021.
    pmc: PMC4642159pubmed: 26644940
  13. Huang H.Q., Zhang B.R., Chu H.J., Zhang D., Li K.. Gasterophilus (Diptera, gasterophilidae) infestation of equids in the Kalamaili nature Reserve, China. Parasite. 2016;23:36.
    pmc: PMC5018932pubmed: 27593434
  14. Liu S.H., Li K., Hu D.F.. The incidence and species composition of Gasterophilus (Diptera, Gasterophilidae) causing equine myiasis in northern Xinjiang, China. Vet. Parasitol. 2016;217:36–38.
    pubmed: 26827858
  15. Mula P., Pilo C., Solinas C., Varcasia A., Francisco I., Arias M.S., Paz Silva A., Sánchez-Andrade R., Morrondo P., Díez-Baños P., Scala A.. Epidemiology, chronobiology and taxonomic updates of Rhinoestrus spp. infestation in horses of sardinia isle, western mediterranean (Italy). Vet. Parasitol. 2013;192:240–246.
    pubmed: 23182302
  16. Orlando L., Ginolhac A., Zhang G., Froese D., Albrechtsen A., Stiller M., Schubert M., Cappellini E., Petersen B., Moltke I., Johnson P.L.F., Fumagalli M., Vilstrup J.T., Raghavan M., Korneliussen T., Malaspinas A., Vogt J., Szklarczyk D., Kelstrup C.D., Vinther J., Dolocan A., Stenderup J., Velazquez A.M.V., Cahill J., Rasmussen M., Wang X., Min J., Zazula G.D., Seguin-Orlando A., Mortensen C., Magnussen K., Thompson J.F., Weinstock J., Gregersen K., Røed K.H., Eisenmann V., Rubin C.J., Miller D.C., Antczak D.F., Bertelsen M.F., Brunak S., Al-Rasheid K.A.S., Ryder O., Andersson L., Mundy J., Krogh A., Gilbert T.M.P., Kjær K., Sicheritz-Ponten T., Jensen L.J., Olsen J.V., Hofreiter M., Nielsen R., Shapiro B., Wang J., Willerslev E.. Recalibrating Equus evolution using the genome sequence of an early Middle Pleistocene horse. Nature 2013;499:74–78.
    pubmed: 23803765
  17. Otranto D., Milillo P., Traversa D., Colwell D.D.. Morphological variability and genetic identity in Rhinoestrus spp. causing horse nasal myiasis. Med. Vet. Entomol. 2005;19:96–100.
    pubmed: 15752183
  18. Peyresblanques J.. Ocular myiasis. Ann. Oculistique. 1964;197:271–295.
    pubmed: 14142466
  19. Rastegaev I.. Ophthalmomyiasis with parasitization by larvae of the Russian gadfly. Oftalmol. Zh. 1980;35:444–445.
    pubmed: 7207934
  20. Schiner I.R.. Fauna Austriaca. Die Fliegen (Diptera). Nach der analytischen Methode bearbeitet, mit der Characteristik sämmtlicher europäischer Gattungen, der Beschreibung aller in Deutschland vorkommenden Arten und der Aufzählung aller bisher beschriebene europäischen Arten. vol. 1. Gerold; Wien: 1862.
  21. Singh A., Singh Z.. Incidence of myiasis among humans—a review. Parasitol. Res. 2015;114:3183–3199.
    pubmed: 26220558
  22. Smith M.A., McGarry J.W., Kelly D.F., Proudman C.J.. Gasterophilus pecorum in the soft palate of a British pony. Vet. Rec. 2005;156 283–283.
    pubmed: 15765898
  23. Tang H., Wang X.W., Tang G.H., Jiang S.H.. Two cases of gingival myiasis caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica. Chin. J. Parasitol. Parasit. Dis. 2003;21 34–30.
    pubmed: 12884588
  24. Wang Z.K., Shi B.K.. A case report of horse nasal myiasis with morphology description. Chin. J. Vet. Med. 1963;3.
  25. Yang J.M., Zhang D., Hu D.F., Chu H.J., Tao Y.S., Fan X.Z., Li K.. The injury caused by myiasis of Gasterophilus in horse. China Anim. Husb. Vet. Med. 2013;40:177–180.
  26. Yao W.B.. Myiasis of man and animal in China. J. Inner Mongolia Med. Univ. 1981;1.
  27. Zumpt F.. Myiasis in Man and Animals in the Old World. Butterworths; London: 1965.

Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Kendon TA, Pereira CL, Pereira H, Brown K, Gaynor D, Briers-Louw WD. Incidents of high tick load in injured cheetahs after reintroduction into a tropical ecosystem. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2025 Apr 23;92(1):e1-e5.
    doi: 10.4102/ojvr.v92i1.2206pubmed: 40336442google scholar: lookup
  2. Jia H, Gao S, Tang L, Fu Y, Xiong Y, Ente M, Mubalake S, Shao C, Li K, Hu D, Zhang D. First report of four rare strongylid species infecting endangered Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) in Xinjiang, China. Parasit Vectors 2023 Oct 25;16(1):385.
    doi: 10.1186/s13071-023-05993-wpubmed: 37880749google scholar: lookup
  3. Jia Z, Hasi S, Zhan D, Hou B, Vogl C, Burger PA. Genome and Transcriptome Analyses Facilitate Genetic Control of Wohlfahrtia magnifica, a Myiasis-Causing Flesh Fly. Insects 2023 Jul 10;14(7).
    doi: 10.3390/insects14070620pubmed: 37504626google scholar: lookup
  4. Foerster N, Soresini G, Paiva F, Silva FAD, Leuchtenberger C, Mourão G. First report of myiasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax in free-ranging giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis). Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2022;31(4):e009522.
    doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612022058pubmed: 36417628google scholar: lookup
  5. Xu W, Liu G, Wang Q, Yan L, Liu X, Li X, Pape T, Zhang D. Ultrastructure of Antennal Sensory Organs in Nine Flesh Flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae): New Insight into the Definition of Family Sarcophagidae. Insects 2022 Jun 30;13(7).
    doi: 10.3390/insects13070602pubmed: 35886778google scholar: lookup
  6. Jia Z, Hasi S, Vogl C, Burger PA. Genomic insights into evolution and control of Wohlfahrtia magnifica, a widely distributed myiasis-causing fly of warm-blooded vertebrates. Mol Ecol Resour 2022 Oct;22(7):2744-2757.
    doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.13654pubmed: 35643968google scholar: lookup
  7. Gao Y, Fu Y, Yan L, Hu D, Jiang B, Zhang D. First record of traumatic myiasis obtained from forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021 Dec;16:70-74.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.08.004pubmed: 34458090google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.