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. 2017 May 3;10(1):218.
doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2149-x.

Low potential for mechanical transmission of Ebola virus via house flies (Musca domestica)

Andrew D Haddow  1 , Farooq Nasar  2 , Christopher W Schellhase  2 , Roger D Moon  3 , Susana L Padilla  2 , Xiankun Zeng  2 , Suzanne E Wollen-Roberts  2 , Joshua D Shamblin  2 , Elizabeth C Grimes  2 , Justine M Zelko  2 , Kenneth J Linthicum  4 , Sina Bavari  2 , M Louise Pitt  2 , John C Trefry  2
Affiliations

Low potential for mechanical transmission of Ebola virus via house flies (Musca domestica)

Andrew D Haddow et al. Parasit Vectors. .

Abstract

Background: Ebola virus (EBOV) infection results in high morbidity and mortality and is primarily transmitted in communities by contact with infectious bodily fluids. While clinical and experimental evidence indicates that EBOV is transmitted via mucosal exposure, the ability of non-biting muscid flies to mechanically transmit EBOV following exposure to the face had not been assessed.

Results: To investigate this transmission route, house flies (Musca domestica Linnaeus) were used to deliver an EBOV/blood mixture to the ocular/nasal/oral facial mucosa of four cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis Raffles). Following exposure, macaques were monitored for evidence of infection through the conclusion of the study, days 57 and 58. We found no evidence of systemic infection in any of the exposed macaques.

Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that there is a low potential for the mechanical transmission of EBOV via house flies - the conditions in this study were not sufficient to initiate infection.

Keywords: Ebola virus; Filovirus; Fly; Fomite; Mechanical; Musca domestica; Muscid; Outbreak; Transmission.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A house fly exposed to an Ebola virus/whole blood mixture walking on the eyelids of a cynomolgus macaque. Visible blood spots are present on both the right upper and lower eyelid
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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