A systematic review of human pathogens carried by the housefly (Musca domestica L.)

Abstract

BackgroundThe synanthropic house fly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae), is a mechanical vector of pathogens (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites), some of which cause serious diseases in humans and domestic animals. In the present study, a systematic review was done on the types and prevalence of human pathogens carried by the house fly.MethodsMajor health-related electronic databases including PubMed, PubMed Central, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were searched (Last update 31/11/2017) for relevant literature on pathogens that have been isolated from the house fly.ResultsOf the 1718 titles produced by bibliographic search, 99 were included in the review. Among the titles included, 69, 15, 3, 4, 1 and 7 described bacterial, fungi, bacteria+fungi, parasites, parasite+bacteria, and viral pathogens, respectively. Most of the house flies were captured in/around human habitation and animal farms. Pathogens were frequently isolated from body surfaces of the flies. Over 130 pathogens, predominantly bacteria (including some serious and life-threatening species) were identified from the house flies. Numerous publications also reported antimicrobial resistant bacteria and fungi isolated from house flies.ConclusionsThis review showed that house flies carry a large number of pathogens which can cause serious infections in humans and animals. More studies are needed to identify new pathogens carried by the house fly.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-018-5934-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Carriage of ESBL-producing Gram-negative bacteria by houseflies captured in a hospital and its suburban surroundings in Ethiopia

“…The house y, Musca domestica has been proposed to be a potential vector for communicable diseases and multidrug resistance (MDR) in hospitals, particularly in developing countries (1,2). House ies can transmit MDR microorganisms in the three ways: mechanical translocation, regurgitation (bio-enhanced transmission) and defecation, in which MDR bacteria may become a part of the gut ora of house ies thus carrying bacteria for the life span of the y and contaminating their environment via feces and/or regurgitation.…”

Using the modern morphometric approach to determine sexual dimorphism of three medically important flies (Order: Diptera) in Thailand

“…Flies belonging to the order Diptera are insects of medical and veterinary importance and are a potential mechanical vector of serious and life-threatening diseases in humans worldwide, especially in developing countries (Service 2008;Khamesipour et al 2018). Typical medically important flies include blow flies, house flies and flesh flies (Service 2008).…”

“…These flies are important vectors of many human pathogens, such as bacteria (Sukontason et al 2000;Nazni et al 2005;, viruses (Tan et al 1997), fungi and parasites (protozoans and helminth eggs) (Graczyk et al 2005;Maipanich et al 2010). Mechanical transmission of pathogens by flies occurs when pathogens that stick to body surfaces or legs of flies are transferred to another organism without amplification or development of the pathogen (Service 2008;Khamesipour et al 2018). Usually, medically important flies feed and reproduce in animal manure, human feces and other decaying organic substances that contain human pathogens .…”

Flies from a tertiary hospital in Rwanda carry multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli sequence type 131

“…In addition to their common occurrence as nosocomial pathogens, MRGN have been frequently found in livestock and the environment. Flies have only recently come into spotlight as carriers of resistant bacteria, and their major route of colonization stems from walking on contaminated surfaces [2]. The detection of antibiotic-resistant E. coli from flies captured in a livestock facility was thus unsurprising [3].…”