Parasites and pathogenic bacteria associated with houseflies and the public health implications in Osogbo, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract :

Houseflies are known as nuisance pests due to their ubiquitous nature in the environment. The present study investigates the roles of houseflies as mechanical vectors of parasites and bacteria in Osogbo, Southwestern Nigeria. The body parts of the houseflies collected from slaughter slabs, dumping grounds and palm wine spots were examined for parasitic cysts and bacterial isolates. The bacteria were isolated using standard bacteriological procedures and the parasites were observed microscopically. The bacteria isolates were thereafter subjected to antibiotic sensitivity test using standard protocol.  All the seventy (70) samples examined harbored pathogenic bacteria. The bacteria isolated include, Salmonella typhii, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia species., Enterobacteraerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Morganella monganii, Vibrio cholera, Shigella species and Serratia marcescens. Even though there was variation in diversity of the bacteria across the study locations, the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The cyst of Entamoeba histolytica and eggs of Asacris lumbricoides were also recovered from few houseflies.  Most of the bacteria isolates showed multiple resistance to antibiotics such as ampicillin, Cefuroxime and Ceftazidine. The isolation of these multi-drug resistance bacteria and cysts of pathogenic parasites underscore the need for constant health education on promotion of environmental sanitation in the study area


Keyword :

Houseflies, bacteria, parasite cysts, multidrug resistance, Osogbo, Nigeria


Author(s) : Adeleke, M. A., Oyewole, V. O., Olabiyi, K. O., Oforka, L. C.
Downloads : 1051
Published Issue : 2017 Vol. 12 Number 1


2017 Vol. 12 Number 1