First Records of Rodent-Infesting Cuterebra Bot Flies Parasitizing Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in North America

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Cats From St. Kitts, West Indies

“…At least for third instars, rodent-infesting Cuterebra species, which have many flattened, multipointed cuticular platelets, can be distinguished from those that infest lagomorphs, which are covered with mostly raised, usually single-pointed, spinelike platelets (Knipling and Brody, 1940;Bennett, 1955;Haas and Dicke, 1958;Baird and Graham, 1973;Slansky and Huckabee, 2006). Here, I provide what seems to be only the third substantiated, published report of feline cuterebrosis in which the insect(s) responsible was (were) identified beyond ''Cuterebra spp.''…”

“…These bot flies typically parasitize various native species of either rodents (e.g., mice, rats, tree squirrels) or lagomorphs (e.g., rabbits and hares) in the Americas, but they also can infest a variety of 'atypical' hosts, including indigenous raccoons and skunks, nonindigenous mice and rats, domestic cats, dogs and rabbits, and humans, among others (Hall, 1925;Sabrosky, 1986;Baird et al, 1989;Suedmeyer et al, 2000;Bradley, 2001;Safdar et al, 2003;Slansky, 2006;Slansky and Huckabee, 2006). Infestation occurs when potential hosts encounter larvae newly hatched from eggs laid on foliage or other habitat substrates (Catts, 1982).…”

“…The most common form of this affliction is subcutaneous infestation, which typically is benign, easy to diagnose, and routinely and effectively treated (Fischer, 1983;Bowman et al, 2003;Slansky and Kenyon, 2003;F. Slansky, unpubl.…”

“…Portions of the specimen were covered by a whitish film that probably is purulent matter from the host, as observed with certain other Cuterebra spp. larvae (Slansky and Huckabee, 2006;Slansky, 2007). This coating was partially removed before the photomicrographs were taken.…”

“…1B), as described for other Cuterebra spp. larvae (Knipling and Brody, 1940;Haas and Dicke, 1958;Slansky and Huckabee, 2006).…”