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The web site itself may have changed. You can check the current page or check for previous versions at the Internet Archive. Yahoo! is not affiliated with the authors of this page or responsible for its content. 225 - 231 Bacteria Fauna 225 Tropical Biomedicine 22(2): 225231 (2005) Bacteria fauna from the house fly, Musca domestica (L.) Nazni, W.A., Seleena, B., Lee, H.L., Jeffery, J. 1 , T. Rogayah, T.A.R. and Sofian, M.A. 2 Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute For Medical Research, Jalan Pahang
50588 Kuala Lumpur. 1 Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda, Kuala Lumpur. 2 Institute Biology Science, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract. The house fly, Musca domestica has long been considered a potential agent for disease transmission ever since its existence. The general truth of this assertion remains
undisputed till the present day in spite of increasing awareness toward an improved sanitation
and better hygiene. The habitual movement of house fly from filthy substrata such as human
faeces, animal excreta, carcasses, garbage, etc. makes them ideal candidates for disease
transmission such as cholera, shigellosis, salmonellosis and others when settling on food. Fly
as a potential mechanical vector of pathogenic bacteria was elucidated in this study by
examining flies from various breeding sites such as food courts, dumping ground, food
processing areas and poultry farm in Peninsular Malaysia. The flies were baited with 10% sugar
solution on a glass slide in the field. All materials used for collection of samples were sterile.
Bacteria from fly sample were isolated using the normal isolation technique. Bacillus sp.,
Coccobacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Microccus sp., Streptococcus sp., Acinetobacter sp., Enterobacter sp., Proteus sp., Escherichia sp., Klebsiella sp. and yeast cells were isolated from feaces, vomitus, external surfaces and internal organs of house fly. Newly emerged house
fly did not harbour any bacteria. INTRODUCTION The behavioural characteristics of the
house fly Musca domestica, ensure its
contact with food and wastes of man and
his animals (Gupta et al., 1972). In this
manner the house flies are able to
transport pathogenic organisms from
infected materials to humam. Studies by several researchers (Axon, 1995; Hulten et al., 1996) have indicated
that there are 3 different possible modes
of bacterial transmission by flies. A
confirmatory study by Kelly et al. (1994)
and Thomas et al. (1992), have shown the
isolation of viable bacteria from feaces,
thus, suggesting that the feacal-oral route
of transmission seems feasible. Tan et al.
(1997) in Malaysia conducted a study on
mechanical transmission of rotavirus by
the legs and wings and stated that house
fly can transmit the rotavirus depending on which part of the fly body the virus was
found. According to De Jesus et al. (2004),
flies can contaminate clean surfaces with
approximately 0.1mg of food per landing. Synanthropic flies are major epidemio- logic factors responsible for the spread of
acute gastroenteritis, trachoma among
infants and young children in developing
countries and transmission of nosocomial
infections with multiple antibiotic-resistant
bacteria in hospital environment (Graczyk
et al., 2001). The role of the house fly in the transmission of pathogens and gastro-
intestinal diseases such as shigellosis,
salmonellosis, cholera, and yaws has been
firmly established (Greenberg, 1971). Structurally, the fly is well adapted for picking up pathogens. Its proboscis is
provided with a profusion of fine hairs that
readily collect environmental detritus.
Furthermore, each of the six feet of the fly
is fitted with hairy structures and pads that 226 secrete a sticky material, thus adding to its
pathogen transmission potential. It is
therefore not surprising that as many as 6
x 10 6 bacteria have been found on the exterior surface of a single feeding fly
(Esten & Mason, 1908) and more than 100
species of pathogenic organisms have
been isolated from the digestive tract of
flies (Harwood & James, 1979). Pathogenic
bacteria remain alive in house flies for an
appreciable time (Richards, 1961). Fly can swallow liquid food, it usually regurgitates ingested material in order
to liquefy solid materials to facilitate
digestion. In addition , droplets of faeces
may be deposited during the feeding
process. This remarkable behaviour of flies
in which excreta is deposited may
particularly contribute to their ability to
spread bacterial infection. Faichnie (1909) was able to show a correlation between house flies and enteric
fever and flies were carrier of Salmonella
typhosa and S. paratyphi A and stated that these micro-organisms remain alive for
many days in the flies. Flugge (1893) and
Buchanan (1897) have already indicated
that flies were transmitters of cholera but
Flu (1915) was the first to isolate Vibrio
cholera from flies. Grubel et al. (1997) has stated that house flies probably can act as vectors in
the transmission of Helicobacter pylori if
they carry the bacterium and contaminate
human food. H. pylori infection is one
of the commonest chronic bacterial
infections of humans and affects most
populations throughout the world. Study conducted by Esrey (1991) and Cohen et al. (1991) suggested that there
was a correlation between fly population
and diarrhoea and diarrhoea and
shigellosis incidence, respectively.
Another study by Emerson et al. (1999)
showed that fly control could reduce
trachoma and diarrhoea among children
in Gambia. Pruss & Mariotti (2000)
suggested that the basis of trachoma was
through person-to-person contact and
flies appear to constitute the major
transmission pathways. With such emphasis given to flies as a mechanical vector in the spread of
diseases, hence, the objective of this study
was to study the microbial fauna found in
association with the house fly, M.
domestica under the tropical environment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Collection Sites
Sample were collected from food courts,
dumping ground, food processing and
poultry farm areas from Langkawi Island
(Kedah), Perak, Johor, Terengganu,
Kelantan, Selangor and the Cameron
Highlands. In this study two different
methods of collection were employed in
obtaining the samples as mentioned below. Collection Method Using Sugar
Solution
The flies were baited with 10% sugar
solution on a glass slide in the field. The
slides were placed in areas with high
density of flies. On each slide three spots
of 100 uL of autoclaved sugar solution
were provided. All materials used for
collection of samples were autoclaved
prior to use in the field. It was observed
that the sugar solution was consumed by
the flies leaving specks of vomitus or
faeces on the slide. These specks of faeces
and vomitus were carefully flushed into
separate sterile 1 mL eppendorf tubes
using 500 uL of sterile saline solution and
were brought to laboratory and kept at 4
The web site itself may have changed. You can check the current page or check for previous versions at the Internet Archive. Yahoo! is not affiliated with the authors of this page or responsible for its content. 225 - 231 Bacteria Fauna 225 Tropical Biomedicine 22(2): 225231 (2005) Bacteria fauna from the house fly, Musca domestica (L.) Nazni, W.A., Seleena, B., Lee, H.L., Jeffery, J. 1 , T. Rogayah, T.A.R. and Sofian, M.A. 2 Medical Entomology Unit, Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute For Medical Research, Jalan Pahang
50588 Kuala Lumpur. 1 Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda, Kuala Lumpur. 2 Institute Biology Science, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Abstract. The house fly, Musca domestica has long been considered a potential agent for disease transmission ever since its existence. The general truth of this assertion remains
undisputed till the present day in spite of increasing awareness toward an improved sanitation
and better hygiene. The habitual movement of house fly from filthy substrata such as human
faeces, animal excreta, carcasses, garbage, etc. makes them ideal candidates for disease
transmission such as cholera, shigellosis, salmonellosis and others when settling on food. Fly
as a potential mechanical vector of pathogenic bacteria was elucidated in this study by
examining flies from various breeding sites such as food courts, dumping ground, food
processing areas and poultry farm in Peninsular Malaysia. The flies were baited with 10% sugar
solution on a glass slide in the field. All materials used for collection of samples were sterile.
Bacteria from fly sample were isolated using the normal isolation technique. Bacillus sp.,
Coccobacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Microccus sp., Streptococcus sp., Acinetobacter sp., Enterobacter sp., Proteus sp., Escherichia sp., Klebsiella sp. and yeast cells were isolated from feaces, vomitus, external surfaces and internal organs of house fly. Newly emerged house
fly did not harbour any bacteria. INTRODUCTION The behavioural characteristics of the
house fly Musca domestica, ensure its
contact with food and wastes of man and
his animals (Gupta et al., 1972). In this
manner the house flies are able to
transport pathogenic organisms from
infected materials to humam. Studies by several researchers (Axon, 1995; Hulten et al., 1996) have indicated
that there are 3 different possible modes
of bacterial transmission by flies. A
confirmatory study by Kelly et al. (1994)
and Thomas et al. (1992), have shown the
isolation of viable bacteria from feaces,
thus, suggesting that the feacal-oral route
of transmission seems feasible. Tan et al.
(1997) in Malaysia conducted a study on
mechanical transmission of rotavirus by
the legs and wings and stated that house
fly can transmit the rotavirus depending on which part of the fly body the virus was
found. According to De Jesus et al. (2004),
flies can contaminate clean surfaces with
approximately 0.1mg of food per landing. Synanthropic flies are major epidemio- logic factors responsible for the spread of
acute gastroenteritis, trachoma among
infants and young children in developing
countries and transmission of nosocomial
infections with multiple antibiotic-resistant
bacteria in hospital environment (Graczyk
et al., 2001). The role of the house fly in the transmission of pathogens and gastro-
intestinal diseases such as shigellosis,
salmonellosis, cholera, and yaws has been
firmly established (Greenberg, 1971). Structurally, the fly is well adapted for picking up pathogens. Its proboscis is
provided with a profusion of fine hairs that
readily collect environmental detritus.
Furthermore, each of the six feet of the fly
is fitted with hairy structures and pads that 226 secrete a sticky material, thus adding to its
pathogen transmission potential. It is
therefore not surprising that as many as 6
x 10 6 bacteria have been found on the exterior surface of a single feeding fly
(Esten & Mason, 1908) and more than 100
species of pathogenic organisms have
been isolated from the digestive tract of
flies (Harwood & James, 1979). Pathogenic
bacteria remain alive in house flies for an
appreciable time (Richards, 1961). Fly can swallow liquid food, it usually regurgitates ingested material in order
to liquefy solid materials to facilitate
digestion. In addition , droplets of faeces
may be deposited during the feeding
process. This remarkable behaviour of flies
in which excreta is deposited may
particularly contribute to their ability to
spread bacterial infection. Faichnie (1909) was able to show a correlation between house flies and enteric
fever and flies were carrier of Salmonella
typhosa and S. paratyphi A and stated that these micro-organisms remain alive for
many days in the flies. Flugge (1893) and
Buchanan (1897) have already indicated
that flies were transmitters of cholera but
Flu (1915) was the first to isolate Vibrio
cholera from flies. Grubel et al. (1997) has stated that house flies probably can act as vectors in
the transmission of Helicobacter pylori if
they carry the bacterium and contaminate
human food. H. pylori infection is one
of the commonest chronic bacterial
infections of humans and affects most
populations throughout the world. Study conducted by Esrey (1991) and Cohen et al. (1991) suggested that there
was a correlation between fly population
and diarrhoea and diarrhoea and
shigellosis incidence, respectively.
Another study by Emerson et al. (1999)
showed that fly control could reduce
trachoma and diarrhoea among children
in Gambia. Pruss & Mariotti (2000)
suggested that the basis of trachoma was
through person-to-person contact and
flies appear to constitute the major
transmission pathways. With such emphasis given to flies as a mechanical vector in the spread of
diseases, hence, the objective of this study
was to study the microbial fauna found in
association with the house fly, M.
domestica under the tropical environment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Collection Sites
Sample were collected from food courts,
dumping ground, food processing and
poultry farm areas from Langkawi Island
(Kedah), Perak, Johor, Terengganu,
Kelantan, Selangor and the Cameron
Highlands. In this study two different
methods of collection were employed in
obtaining the samples as mentioned below. Collection Method Using Sugar
Solution
The flies were baited with 10% sugar
solution on a glass slide in the field. The
slides were placed in areas with high
density of flies. On each slide three spots
of 100 uL of autoclaved sugar solution
were provided. All materials used for
collection of samples were autoclaved
prior to use in the field. It was observed
that the sugar solution was consumed by
the flies leaving specks of vomitus or
faeces on the slide. These specks of faeces
and vomitus were carefully flushed into
separate sterile 1 mL eppendorf tubes
using 500 uL of sterile saline solution and
were brought to laboratory and kept at 4
