Oestrus ovis myiasis in Libyan sheep and goats

Traumatic sheep myiasis: A review of the current understanding

Myiasis, or the infestation of live humans and vertebrate animals by dipterous larvae, is a health issue worldwide. The economic impact and potential threat to animal health and wellbeing of this disease under the animal husbandry sector is considerable. Sheep are a highly vulnerable livestock category exposed to myiasis (sheep strike), due to several unique predisposing factors that attract flies. The successful mitigation of this disease relies on a thorough understanding of fly population dynamics associated with the change in weather patterns and the evaluation of this disease through different branches of science such as chemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology. The present review provides a summary of the existing knowledge of strike in sheep, discussed in relation to the application of volatile organic compounds, metagenomics, and molecular biology, and their use regarding implementing fly control strategies such as traps, and to increase the resilience of sheep to this disease through improving their health and wellbeing.

The global and regional prevalence of oestrosis in sheep and goats: a systematic review of articles and meta-analysis

Background

Oestrosis, caused by the larvae of Oestrus ovis, commonly known as sheep nose bot, is an obligatory cavitary myiasis of sheep and goats. Oestrus ovis is a widespread parasite, but little is known about the prevalence of oestrosis at the global and broad geographical levels. The present study aimed to explore the epidemiology of oestrosis at the global and regional level to estimate prevalences and their associated factors using a systematic approach. This is, to the author’s knowledge, the first meta-analysis of oestrosis in sheep and goats.

Methods

Published articles were obtained from nine electronic databases (PubMed, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, UCB library, Medline, Biosis Citation Index, Indian journals and Google Scholar) reporting the prevalence of O. ovis in sheep and goats from 1970 to 2018. Pooled prevalences were estimated using a random effect meta-analysis model.

Results

Sixty-six studies were eligible, and data from 40,870 sheep and 18,216 goats were used for quantitative analysis. The random effect estimated prevalence of oestrosis at the global level in sheep was 51.15% (95% CI: 42.80–59.51%) and in goats was 42.19% (95% CI: 33.43–50.95%). The pooled prevalence estimates for Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas were 47.85% (95% CI: 36.04–59.66%), 44.48% (95% CI: 33.09–55.87%), 56.83% (95% CI: 48.92–64.74%) and 34.46% (95% CI: 19.90–49.01%), respectively. Heterogeneity (I² > 80%) was detected in most pooled estimates.

Conclusions

Oestrosis is highly prevalent in many geographical regions of the world, especially in Europe and Africa. Factors that contribute to the pooled prevalence estimate of oestrosis need to be emphasised in any survey to estimate the true prevalence of oestrosis. Furthermore, there is a need for immunisation or implementation of other preventive measures to reduce the burden of oestrosis in sheep and goats and to improve the health and welfare status.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3597-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Doenças da cavidade nasal em pequenos ruminantes no Distrito Federal e no Estado de Goiás

Resumo As enfermidades que acometem a cavidade nasal de pequenos ruminantes podem causar prejuízos aos rebanhos de ovinos e caprinos na região central do Brasil. Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo dos laudos de necropsia do Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária da Universidade de Brasília (LPV-UnB) nos anos de 2003 a 2014 para verificar a ocorrência das doenças que acometeram a cavidade nasal de pequenos ruminantes. Foram analisados 463 protocolos de ovinos e 75 de caprinos totalizando 538 casos. Seis ovinos (6/463 1,29%) foram necropsiados com rinite granulomatosa micótica ou oomicótica e 22 animais do estudo (22/538; 4,08%) tiveram o diagnóstico de oestrose, sendo 86,36% ovinos e 13,64% caprinos. As rinites piogranulomatosas em ovinos ocorreram em áreas alagadas, com abundante material vegetal em decomposição. Os ovinos com pitiose rinofacial apresentaram como principais alterações aumento de volume na região nasal devido a extensas lesões granulomatosas associadas a necrose tecidual, caracterizadas por inúmeros macrófagos e polimorfonucleares circundando centros necróticos contendo o agente envolto por reação de Splendore-Hoeppli. Os ovinos com conidiobolomicose exibiram extensas áreas de necrose e inflamação piogranulomatosa, associadas à presença de hifas fúngicas na nasofaringe e também na região peribulbar e exoftalmia. A maioria dos animais com oestrose não apresentou alterações clínico-patológicas significativas, apesar de serem encontradas larvas principalmente nos seios e conchas nasais, traqueia e seio paranasal. A importância dessas enfermidades ainda é pouco conhecida na região, sendo de grande relevância que as condições clínico-patológicas e epidemiológicas sejam elucidadas para o diagnóstico, o controle e a prevenção, para evitar a expansão e prejuízos para os rebanhos.

High Mortality Rate due to False Gid in a Sheep Herd

The sheep nasal bot, Oestrus ovis (Diptera: Oestridae), is a cosmopolitan parasite commonly found in sheep and occasionally goats. Rarely a bot will migrate into the sheep brain (false gid). Following the complaint of an animal husbandman about high mortality rate in a sheep herd, the herd was clinically, hematologically, and pathologically examined exactly. Clinical, hematological, and pathological findings were described in the text. Necropsy findings showed heavy infestation with Oestrus ovis larvae. The herd was treated with Ivermectin. After treatment all patients without nervous sings were recovered. Patients with nervous signs did not respond to treatment, but new cases of disease did not occur and the mortality stopped. In the present report, a high mortality rate due to false gid in a sheep herd was described. The prevention and control of the disease are important because of economic losses and the possibility of transmission to the human.

Prevalence and intensity of Oestrus ovis in sheep of Shiraz, southern Iran

Two thousand and two heads obtained from slaughtered sheep at the Fars abattoirs (Shiraz, Southern Iran) between April 2006 and April 2007 were examined for the presence of Oestrus ovis larvae. Of the total heads, 995 (49.7%) were infested with O. ovis larvae. O. ovis larvae were observed in both sexes and all age groups in each season of the year. A total of 6264 larvae were collected. The overall larval intensity for the infested sheep was 6.3, with 3.9 in spring, 5.3 in summer, 5.9 in autumn and 7.8 in winter. Prevalence ranged from 23.3% in spring to 80% in winter. Increased infestation was observed in older animals.

Epidemiology of Oestrus ovis infestations in sheep in Kars province of north-eastern Turkey

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of cavical myiasis caused by Oestrus ovis larvae in sheep of Kars province of north-eastern part of Turkey. From 30 to 35 sheep heads (total of 387) were examined every month regularly for O. ovis larvae during 12 months. Of 387 heads, 156 (%40.3) were infested with O. ovis larvae.. The prevalence of nasal myiasis was 54.3% in spring, 41% in summer, 28% in fall, and 38.9% in winter. The differences among seasons were significant statistically (P<0.05). Infestation rate up to 1-years-old was 30.0%, 1 to 3 years-old 40.0% and older than 3 years old was 52.4%. The number of larvae made peak in spring months and went down in the months of fall. The mean number of larvae regarding examined animals was 1.8, and the mean according to infested animals was 4.5. Density of O.ovis larvae in infested sheep were changed from 1 to 31. Infestation rate in the morkaraman breed was higher (43.4%) comparing to the rate in the akkaraman breed (31.3%). The differences between sheep breed were also significant (p<0.05). Sheep with dark colored head had higher infestation rate than that of sheep with light colored head (p<0.05).

Prevalence and intensity of Oestrus ovis in Akkaraman sheep in the Konya region of Turkey

Slaughterhouse surveys to determine the prevalence and intensity of larval Oestrus ovis Linnaeus (Diptera: Oestridae) in sheep, were conducted monthly for 1 year in Konya, Turkey. A total of 624 sheep, selected at random, were examined and 59% were found to be infested by O. ovis. A total of 8801 larvae were collected, of which 68.9% were first-stage, 19.1% second-stage and 12% third-stage larvae. All three larval stadia were seen in each month of the year. The larval intensity for infected sheep was 23.9, with 16.48 L(1), 4.55 L(2) and 2.87 L(3). The monthly prevalence ranged from 34.6% in January to 76.9% in October. The largest number of larvae (180) was obtained from a sheep in August (122 L(1), 52 L(2) and 6 L(3)). The infestation rate was higher in 4 - 6-year-old sheep, at 72.6%. The infestation rates were 64.4% in female and 47.5% in male sheep.

Ectoparasites of livestock in Europe and the Mediterranean region

Arthropod ectoparasites can have a major impact on the productivity and welfare of livestock. In recent years, many parts of Europe have seen important changes in the nature of animal husbandry and parasite control, which have increased the need for a precise understanding of the current distribution and prevalence of livestock ectoparasites. In some cases, these changes have been associated with moves towards increased productivity, such as higher-stocking densities, large-scale rearing units, indoor confinement, reduced genetic diversity and large-scale movement of animals and, in others, with a move towards organic farming. There have also been changes in parasite control, associated with the development of new parasiticides, such as the macrocyclic lactones, and concern over the continued use of some of the older neurotoxic compounds. These changes have been exacerbated by outbreaks of endemic disease, the threats of exotic disease introduction and fears of potential changes in arthropod distribution associated with climate change. This paper therefore, reviews the current status of livestock ectoparasites in Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Seasonal variation of Oestrus ovis-specific antibodies in sheep and goats mixed flocks in Greece

The aim of this survey was to investigate the year-round epidemiological patterns of Oestrus ovis ELISA sero-prevalence in sheep and goats kept together under the same husbandry system in an endemic area of Greece. Twenty-five adult female sheep and 25 adult female goats, coming from a large mixed flock, were randomly selected, eartaged and monthly blood sampled during 1 year period (November 1998-October 1999). Serological prevalence in sheep was 100% all around the year. Mean intensities of specific O. ovis antibodies follow a seasonal evolution with higher mean titers between March and July than in winter. In contrast, the serological prevalences in goats were low specially in winter months (from October to January). No significant difference were noticed in goats antibody levels during the year period. The possible reasons of this difference of O. ovis sero-prevalence between sheep and goats are discussed.

Prevalence and larval burden of oestrus ovis (Linné 1761) in sheep and goats in northern mediterranean region of France

A slaughterhouse survey to determine prevalence and larval burden of Oestrus ovis larvae in sheep and goats was performed monthly during one year in Pézenas, South of France, northern mediterranean region. A total of 1303 sheep and goat heads were selected at random. O. ovis larvae were found in 274 sheep out of 631 (43.4%), and the prevalence rate varied from 14.3% in February to 65% in October. The mean number of larvae in infected sheep heads was 10.86 with 9.24 L1, 0.91 L2 and 0.71 L3. One hundred and ninety-one goats out of 672 were infected (28.4%), and the prevalence rate varied from 6.25% in September to 47.1% in April. In infected goat heads, the mean parasitic burden was 5.35 with 4.04 L1, 0.73 L2 and 0.58 L3. These results confirm worldwide observations indicating that the prevalence and the parasitic burdens are less in goats than in sheep.