Interactions
Dermatobia hominis has
many unique interactions between various species, which
primarily include other flies, cattle,
dogs
and humans. The larval stages of Dermatobia hominis are
parasitic and present major economic and health concerns.
Flies:
The most important species interaction for the botfly is with
other flies. The female botfly doesn’t lay eggs directly on a
host’s skin but rather relies on other flies to act as a vector.
More than 50 different species have been identified as vectors
for D. hominis (Zuluaga, 2011). The mode in which the
adult botfly transmits the eggs is through catching the vector
and adhering eggs to their body. This mode of transportation of
eggs is referred to as phoresis. The eggs that are dropped off
by the vector are very heat sensitive and are activated once in
contact with the host’s skin (Thanapatcharoen, 2012).
It is through the process of phoresis that Dermatobia hominis is
disseminated because of that there is a wide range of potential
hosts for the parasitic larvae.
Cattle:
One of the most documented and researched host of the Dermatobia
hominis is
cattle (Villarino, 2003). The reason being is that once
infested the cattle has been shown to have decrease in weight
and milk production. Another impact to cattle is damage to the
skin which reduces the amount and quality of leather that can be
produced. The larvae are most often found on cattle in areas
that are valuable in leather production- the skin can be 70
percent less useful for leather production . The estimated
economic impact caused by Dermatobia hominis infestation in
Brazil alone is $250 million per year (Zuluaga, 2011).
Humans:
Dermatobia hominis is unique in the aspect that it is one of a
few species of flies that parasitize and live on humans. The
infestation of D. hominis appears as a swollen boil that may
initially be confused as a mosquito bite. While inside the skin
the larva releases various substances which act as an irritant
to prevent healing, this is done to prevent closure of
infestation site to main gas exchange (Lello and Rosis, 2003).
Symptoms of infestation appear as itching, irritation, and pain.
Other than discomfort D. hominis is relatively harmless to
humans although problems may arise if the larva is inadequately
removed (Baangsgard, 2000). When burrowed in the skin the larva
does not respond to antibiotics. Traditional methods of larva
extraction are performed by occluding the opening with some sort
of substance usually petroleum jelly, oils, and fats. The
closure of the opening causes the larva to suffocate forcing it
out of the skin, while exposed the larva can be forced out by
pressure or by forcep extraction. This method isn’t always
effective due to the anchoring of the larva to the skin and the
possibility of breaking the larva is present. Another method of
extraction is through a surgical procedure, this often times is
effective but is expensive and isn’t always readily available.
The most effective extraction process is through using a venom
extractor, which can remove the larva completely. This option is
an effective and inexpensive option of larva removal (Boggild,
et al., 2002).
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