Musca sorbens, the bazaar fly or eye-seeking fly, is a close relative of, and very similar in appearance to, the housefly (Musca domestica). It is found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and the Pacific Ocean region.[1] It breeds in excreta, especially human faeces, and is the main insect vector of trachoma, a major cause of blindness.
Bazaar flies are found in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific Ocean region. The flies need temperatures between about 16 to 40 °C (61 to 104 °F), with 28 °C (82 °F) being optimal, and a humidity level of over 85%. Bazaar flies are more abundant at low and medium altitudes. They may be more abundant in winter, spring and autumn, or summer depending on rainfall patterns, competition for dung, and predation.[2]
Life cycle
After mating, female bazaar flies seek out suitable places to lay their eggs. Bazaar flies are most attracted to human faeces on the ground (they will not breed in covered pit latrines). If no human faeces are available, the excreta of other animals will suffice. The larvae develop in the faeces and die if the excreta dries out or becomes too hot. When developed, the larvae pupate, undergo metamorphosis and emerge as adult flies. The time from egg-laying to adult emergence averages nine days.[3]
The bazaar fly is a prolific species: theoretically, if all its progeny survived, a single female bazaar fly kept at 28 °C (82 °F) could produce 17.8 million offspring within 11 weeks.[4] The quality of the emerging adult flies (as measured by head breadth) is better from human faeces than from those of any other animal; these larger flies are likely to be more fecund and have longer lives, thus producing more offspring.[3]
Relationship with humans
Fly on cheek: the bazaar fly is the principal insect vector of trachoma.
This fly lives in close proximity to humans; it probably coevolved with humans in Africa, spreading with them to other parts of Africa and Asia. It is not found in the Americas.[4] Bazaar flies are a nuisance, disturbing people at leisure and at work, but they are principally disliked because of their habit of settling on people's faces (particularly around the eyes) and on sweaty skin, seeking out bodily secretions and suppurating wounds.[citation needed]
The bazaar fly is a vector for trachoma, a disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which can result in blindness.[1] Research in Gambia suggests that young children are the main reservoir of the bacteria and that this fly is the principal insect vector of trachoma infection.[5] Worldwide, trachoma results in the visual impairment of over 2 million people and the blindness of 1.2 million and is the main cause of preventable blindness.[6]
^Ramesh, Anita; Bristow, Julie; Kovats, Sari; Lindsay, Steven W.; Haslam, Dominic; Schmidt, Elena; Gilbert, Clare (2016). "The impact of climate on the abundance of Musca sorbens, the vector of trachoma". Parasites & Vectors. 9 (48): 28–32. doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1330-y. PMC4730668. PMID 26817815.
^ abEmerson, P.M.; Bailey, R.L.; Walraven, G.E.; Lindsay, S.W. (2001). "Human and other faeces as breeding media of the trachoma vector Musca sorbens". Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 15 (3): 314–320. doi:10.1046/j.0269-283x.2001.00318.x. PMID 11583450.
^ abEmerson, Paul. "Excreta, Flies and Trachoma". WELL Factsheet. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
musca, sorbens, bazaar, seeking, close, relative, very, similar, appearance, housefly, musca, domestica, found, tropical, subtropical, africa, asia, pacific, ocean, region, breeds, excreta, especially, human, faeces, main, insect, vector, trachoma, major, caus. Musca sorbens the bazaar fly or eye seeking fly is a close relative of and very similar in appearance to the housefly Musca domestica It is found in tropical and subtropical Africa Asia and the Pacific Ocean region 1 It breeds in excreta especially human faeces and is the main insect vector of trachoma a major cause of blindness Bazaar flyScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder DipteraFamily MuscidaeGenus MuscaSpecies M sorbensBinomial nameMusca sorbensWiedemann 1830 Contents 1 Distribution 2 Life cycle 3 Relationship with humans 4 ReferencesDistribution EditBazaar flies are found in parts of Africa Asia and the Pacific Ocean region The flies need temperatures between about 16 to 40 C 61 to 104 F with 28 C 82 F being optimal and a humidity level of over 85 Bazaar flies are more abundant at low and medium altitudes They may be more abundant in winter spring and autumn or summer depending on rainfall patterns competition for dung and predation 2 Life cycle EditAfter mating female bazaar flies seek out suitable places to lay their eggs Bazaar flies are most attracted to human faeces on the ground they will not breed in covered pit latrines If no human faeces are available the excreta of other animals will suffice The larvae develop in the faeces and die if the excreta dries out or becomes too hot When developed the larvae pupate undergo metamorphosis and emerge as adult flies The time from egg laying to adult emergence averages nine days 3 The bazaar fly is a prolific species theoretically if all its progeny survived a single female bazaar fly kept at 28 C 82 F could produce 17 8 million offspring within 11 weeks 4 The quality of the emerging adult flies as measured by head breadth is better from human faeces than from those of any other animal these larger flies are likely to be more fecund and have longer lives thus producing more offspring 3 Relationship with humans Edit Fly on cheek the bazaar fly is the principal insect vector of trachoma This fly lives in close proximity to humans it probably coevolved with humans in Africa spreading with them to other parts of Africa and Asia It is not found in the Americas 4 Bazaar flies are a nuisance disturbing people at leisure and at work but they are principally disliked because of their habit of settling on people s faces particularly around the eyes and on sweaty skin seeking out bodily secretions and suppurating wounds citation needed The bazaar fly is a vector for trachoma a disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis which can result in blindness 1 Research in Gambia suggests that young children are the main reservoir of the bacteria and that this fly is the principal insect vector of trachoma infection 5 Worldwide trachoma results in the visual impairment of over 2 million people and the blindness of 1 2 million and is the main cause of preventable blindness 6 References Edit a b Service Mike 2008 Medical Entomology for Students Cambridge University Press pp 135 141 ISBN 978 0 521 70928 6 Ramesh Anita Bristow Julie Kovats Sari Lindsay Steven W Haslam Dominic Schmidt Elena Gilbert Clare 2016 The impact of climate on the abundance of Musca sorbens the vector of trachoma Parasites amp Vectors 9 48 28 32 doi 10 1186 s13071 016 1330 y PMC 4730668 PMID 26817815 a b Emerson P M Bailey R L Walraven G E Lindsay S W 2001 Human and other faeces as breeding media of the trachoma vector Musca sorbens Medical and Veterinary Entomology 15 3 314 320 doi 10 1046 j 0269 283x 2001 00318 x PMID 11583450 a b Emerson Paul Excreta Flies and Trachoma WELL Factsheet Retrieved 27 September 2017 Emerson P M Bailey R L Mahdi O S Walraven G E Lindsay S W 2000 Transmission ecology of the fly Musca sorbens a putative vector of trachoma Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 94 1 28 32 doi 10 1016 s0035 9203 00 90427 9 PMID 10748893 Boyd Kierstan 14 October 2015 What is trachoma American Academy of Ophthalmology Retrieved 28 September 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Musca sorbens amp oldid 1133952228, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
