Identification and Molecular Characterization of Clogmia (Telmatoscopus) albipunctatus (Drain Fly) Larva in a Rare Case of Urinary Myiasis in a Domestic Dog in India

Purpose

The study aimed to identify Clogmia (Telmatoscopus) albipunctata larva recovered from the urinary tract of a four-year-old female Siberian Husky dog in India using morphological assessment and molecular techniques.

Methods

Larval specimen obtained from the dog urine underwent preliminary morphological assessments followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to selectively amplify segments of the Cytochrome b (Cytb), NADH1 genes, and the tRNA-Ser gene within mitochondrial DNA. Species identification was achieved through sequence analysis of the amplified product and subsequent phylogenetic analysis.

Results

Larva recovered from dog urine underwent morphological examination, revealing notable features characteristic of Clogmia genus. The primers targeting the mitochondrial DNA gene region of fly larva, amplified a distinct product of approximately 788 bp. Integration of morphological and molecular biology techniques confirmed the identification of the C. albipunctata larva in the dog urinary tract.

Conclusion

This study elucidates the initial molecular evidence of C. albipunctata presence in a four-year-old female Siberian Husky dog exhibiting symptoms of haematuria and frequent micturition in India. It reveals an instance of a domestic dog in India contracting a C. albipunctata larva infection in its urinary tract, emphasizing the importance of clinical vigilance towards this infection.