Molecular evidence of bacteria in Melophagus ovinus sheep keds and Hippobosca equina forest flies collected from sheep and horses in northeastern Algeria. (August 2019) - Boucheikhchoukh, Mehdi
Highlights: This study investigated the presence of bacteria in Hippoboscid flies by molecular tools in Algeria. High prevalence ofthe sheep ked, Melophagusovinus infestations in January and May in northeastern Algeria. The first olecular evidence of Bartonella chomelii, Bartonella melophagi and Wolbachiasp . In Hippoboscidae flies in Algeria. Abstract: The sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus, and the forest fly, Hippobosca equina, are parasitic dipteran insects of veterinary importance. As hematophagous insects, they might be considered as potential vectors of diseases which may be transmissible to humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to present initial primary data about these two species in Algeria. To do so, we conducted a molecular survey to detect the presence of bacterial DNA in flies collected in Algeria. A total of 712 flies including, 683 Melophagus ovinus and 29 Hippobosca equina were collected from two regions in northeastern Algeria. Monitoring the monthly kinetics of M. ovinus infestations showed something resembling annual activity, with a high prevalence in January (21.67%) and May (20.94%). Real-time quantitative PCR assays showed that for 311 tested flies, 126 were positive for the Bartonella spp. rRNA intergenic spacer gene and 77 were positive for Anaplasmataceae . A random selection of positive samples was submitted for sequencing. The DNA of Bartonella chomelii and Bartonella melophagi were amplified in, respectively, five and four H. equina . 25 M. ovinus positive samples were infected by Bartonella melophagi . Amplification and sequencing of the Anaplasma spp. 23S rRNA gene revealed that both species were infected by Wolbachia sp. which had previously been detected in Cimex lectularius bed bugs. Overall, this study expanded knowledge about bacteria present in parasitic flies of domestic animals in Algeria.