Hippobosca equina L. (Hippoboscidae: Hippobosca)—An Old Enemy as an Emerging Threat in the Palearctic Zone

Abstract

Arthropods of the Hippoboscoidea superfamily are parasites of animals from various systematic groups. Mass appearances of these insects and their attacks on people are increasingly being recorded. Their parasitism has a negative effect on host well-being, as it causes feelings of agitation and irritation as well as skin itching and damage. It may result in weight loss and development of diseases in the long-term perspective. Parasites can be a potential epidemiological threat for their hosts as well. One of such parasites is a cosmopolitan species of the Hippoboscinae subfamily—Hippobosca equina. Studies have confirmed the presence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis equi, Bartonella spp., and Anaplasma spp. in the organism of these insects. The frequency of anaphylactic reactions caused by H. equina attacks has been increasing. The aim of the present paper was to summarize the up-to-date knowledge of Hippobosca equina Linnaeus, 1758 due to its significance in medical and veterinary sciences as a potential vector of pathogens. Given the increasing expansion of ectoparasites, mainly related to climate change, ensuring animal welfare and human health is a priority.

First report of <i>Bartonella</i> sp. isolated from <i>Hippobosca equina</i> L. (Hippoboscidae: <i>Hippobosca</i>) in Lublin Province, south-eastern Poland

“…In the natural environment, people are exposed to direct and indirect effects of insect parasitism, including Simulium spp., Lipoptena spp., and Hippobosca equina [18,20,21,[50][51][52][53][54]. However, many of hematophagous insects have a relatively short feeding period, which can make it challenging to secure them for identification purposes.…”

“…This cosmopolitan species is characterized by a wide host range and low host specificity, which increases the risk of feeding on animals that constitute a reservoir of pathogens, including Bartonella spp. [17,18]. Studies conducted by de Bruin et al [19] on vertical transmission of Bartonella schoenbuchensis in Lipoptena cervi showed that it is highly probable that deer keds (Hippoboscidae) are involved in the transmission of this pathogen in nature.…”

“…team in recent years regarding Hippoboscidae parasitizing wild and domestic animals, as well as humans [18,20,21], inspired us to investigate the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in H. equina adults collected from humans and companion animals in eastern Poland.…”