Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz ISSN: 1678-8060 EISSN: 1678-8060 Vol. 89, Num. 2, 1994, pp. 139

RESEARCH NOTE

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Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel, 1858) and Phaenicia sericata (Meigen, 1826) Parasiting Domestic Animals in Buenos Aires and Vicinities (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

Juan C Mariluis, Juan A Schnack (*), Ignacio Cerverizzo (**), Claudio Quintana (**)

Code Number: OC94030
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Instituto Nacional de Microbiologia "Dr. Carlos Malbran", Departamento de Parasitologia, Avda. Velez Sarsfield 563, Buenos Aires, Argentina (*) Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/no., 1900 La Plata, Argentina (**) Clinica Veterinaria Resburgo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Key words: Calliphoridae - screwworm - myiasis - domestic animals - Buenos Aires

The role of blow flies species as myiasis producers has increasingly concerned New World entomologists during the last decades (JH Guimarães et al. 1983 Rev Bras Zool 1: 239-416). In South America, DL Baumgartner and B Greenberg (1983 Rev Bras Biol 43: 215-221) documented the occurrence of Cochliomyia hominivorax in the Districts of Pasco and Junin, Peru, warning of its potential importance from medical and veterinary points of view. Moreover, Phaenicia sericata has been recognized in Sudan, South Africa, and Australia as primary myiasis producer on domestic animals (Baumgartner, Greenberg 1985 Ann Entomol Soc Am 78: 565-587). A detailed account of the medical and veterinary importance of this cosmopolitan species is given by SV Peris and D Gonzalez Mora (1991 Bol R Soc Esp Hist Nat 87: 187-207).

In Yucatan Peninsula and during the rainy season, myiasis produced by C. hominivorax was mostly detected on dogs, and to a lesser extent on livestock (DB Thomas 1987 J Med Entomol 24: 498-502).

The occurrence of C. hominivorax and P. sericata parasiting dogs and a cat, respectively, is recorded for the first time in Buenos Aires and vicinities.

Screwworms were taken from myiasis wounds from 15 dogs and a cat, which were seen in a veterinarian clinic in Olivos, Buenos Aires, Argentina, between February 1st and April 30th, 1989.

All screwworms collected were third instar larvae. The specimens parasiting the 15 dogs (11 males; 4 females) were identified as C. hominivorax. The three larvae taken from a male cat were identified as P. sericata. Myiasis wounds on dogs were seen on the head (41.2%), the rump (23.5%), and the genital region (17.6%); only two wounds were located on the legs (11.8%) and one on the neck (5.9%). From the total recorded wounds, 62.5% attacked natural openings. The averaged number of larvae per dog's wound was 46.0 (+/- 21.02). All animals were from the city or suburbs of Buenos Aires.

P. sericata was formerly detected in human wounds in Buenos Aires (JC Mariluis, EF Guarnera 1983 Rev Soc Ent Argentina 42: 143-147); therefore, the finding of this species on a cat is the first reference documented for domestic animals. This cosmopolitan species is notoriously abundant within urban areas close to Buenos Aires (JC Mariluis, JA Schnack 1989 EOS 65: 93-101) and co-dominant with the recently introduced Palearctic Chrysomya albiceps (Wie-demann, 1819) in the "Area Platense" (Mariluis, Schnack 1986 Ecosur 12/13: 81-91). So, we expect further findings of P. sericata in adjacent geographic locations and other domestic hosts in similar areas. The obligate biontophagous, C. hominivorax, is a relatively rare species in South America. However, this was the only species recorded on dogs during this study. Probably its perceived rareness is due to improper sample procedures, e.g., the use of either rotten beef or human faeces as baits.

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