According to new research from the University of Massachusetts, we need to pay a lot more attention to the flies that live with us. The non-biting flies that don't bite are more likely to spread diseases than the biting flies that do.
John Stoffolano, professor of entomology at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst's Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the author of a new paper that appeared recently in the journal Insects, says that he's been working on synanthropic flies since he was a synanthropic flies have not been paid much attention to. We should pay attention to the flies that live among us because they get their nutrition from people and animals.
Consider the fly as an example of the point. Roadkill, animal dung, rotting garbage, and quick trips to the sewer buffet are some of the foods it may feast on. It fills its crop when it is fed.
Stoffolano says that the crop is a place to store food before it makes its way into the stomach where it will be turned into energy for the fly. Because the crop is a place for storage, there are very few digestion and anti-parasitmidases that can be used. The crop becomes a storehouse for disease-causing pathogens.
The fly gets rid of excess water in its crop by "bubbling," or regurgitating the water out, when it takes off. You're making a sandwich when the fly comes in through your window. Before it can help itself to a bite of your grinder, it has to take some of the crop with it. Along with the crop contents comes any illness-causing pathogens that fly.
It doesn't get better. Because a fly's crop is one of the cauldrons where microbes develop antibacterial resistance, what gets spewed out onto your food may not respond well to conventional treatments.
Stoffolano points out that we don't know a lot about these flies. What is the strength of the immune systems of different flies? The flies can either encourage the growth of harmful pathogens in their guts or they can simply transport diseases from place to place. Is male or female flies better transmitters of diseases? Crop volumes vary by species.
The problems are caused by the little things. Paying more attention to the flies that live with us is important for our health.
More information: John G. Stoffolano, Synanthropic Flies—A Review Including How They Obtain Nutrients, along with Pathogens, Store Them in the Crop and Mechanisms of Transmission, Insects (2022). DOI: 10.3390/insects13090776
All Rights Reserved © 2024
