Morphology of the region of the ejaculatory duct producing the male accessory gland material in the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

Blood feeding insects have to rely on the protein content of mammalian blood to insure reproduction. A substantial quantity of protein is provided by hemoglobin present in erythrocytes. Access to hemoglobin is accomplished only via erythrocyte lysis. It has been shown that midgut homogenates from the blood feeding stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, contain free fatty acids and it was proposed that these detergent-like compounds play a major role as hemolysins in the digestive physiology of this species. More recently sphingomyelinase activity was detected in midgut preparations of this fly, which would provide a potential tool for the enzymatic cleavage of the erythrocyte's membrane sphingomyelin. The action of specific hemolytic factors should affect the erythrocyte's morphology. The shape of bovine erythrocytes undergoing in vitro hemolysis by crude midgut homogenates from the stable fly was examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy.

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Effects of carbon dioxide, acetone and 1-octen-3-ol on the flight responses of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, in a wind tunnel

Physiological Entomology ◽

10.1046/j.1365-3032.1997.d01-8.x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 380-386 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

STEVEN SCHOFIELD ◽

JOHN BRADY

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Wind Tunnel ◽

Stomoxys Calcitrans ◽

Stable Fly

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Isolation of Enterobacter sakazakii from Stable Flies, Stomoxys calcitrans L. (Diptera: Muscidae)†

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-69.3.671 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 69 (3) ◽

pp. 671-673 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

F. MRAMBA ◽

A. BROCE ◽

L. ZUREK

Keyword(s):

16S Rdna ◽

Foodborne Pathogen ◽

Animal Manure ◽

Stomoxys Calcitrans ◽

Fecal Coliforms ◽

Stable Fly ◽

Enterobacter Sakazakii ◽

Stable Flies ◽

16S Rdna Pcr ◽

Glucose Agar

Enterobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen that causes meningitis, enterocolitis, and sepsis, primarily in immunocompromised infants. Previously, it was suggested that stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans, were a vector or reservoir of this pathogen. In our study, by means of a culturing approach combined with 16S rDNA PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping and sequencing, we screened 928 individual stable flies collected in Kansas and Florida. Two stable flies (0.2%) were positive for E. sakazakii. In addition, 411 (44%) stable flies carried bacteria-forming red colonies (presumably enterics) on a violet red bile glucose agar (mean count = 6.4 × 104 CFU per fly), and 120 (13%) stable flies carried fecal coliforms (mean count = 8.7 × 103 CFU per fly). Sequencing of 16S rDNA showed that enterics from violet red bile glucose agar were represented by several genera, including Escherichia, Shigella, Providencia, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Proteus, Serratia, and Morganella. Our study shows that stable flies carry bacteria typically present in animal manure (a developmental site of stable fly larvae), which indicates that the natural reservoir of E. sakazakii is the digestive tract or manure of domestic animals. The low prevalence of E. sakazakii associated with stable flies suggests that stable flies do not play a major role as a reservoir or vector of this pathogen.

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