Old World screwworm myiasis: first report of Chrysomya bezziana in Chinese Milu (Elaphurus davidianus)

Abstract

Myiasis is the infestation of humans and other warm-blooded animals with dipterous larvae. In the current study, a total of 40 maggots were collected from the cutaneous lesions of the Chinese Milu (Elaphurus davidianus) in China. Based on morphological identification, the third-instar larvae were classified as Chrysomya bezziana. To accurately identify this species, genomic DNA from the larvae was analyzed using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The findings indicated that the examined larvae were unequivocally consistent with the Old World screwworm fly, C. bezziana. This study firstly documented the cases of cutaneous myiasis caused by C. bezziana in Chinese Milu, and provided effective strategies for the prevention and control of myiasis.