A study on the incidence of myiasis among dairy animals in the State of Punjab, India

Myiasis is the condition where larvae of certain fly species use living hosts as a food source for their growth and development. The results of a retrospective study on the incidence of myiasis among dairy animals in Punjab (India) are reported. A total of 470 larval samples were collected from myiasis affected animals from the different districts of Punjab. The Old World Screwworm (OWS) flyChrysomya bezziana was found to be the predominating fly species involved in onset of myiasis among dairy animals as the maggots of this fly were encountered in the wounds of 94.2% of animals. Besides, two other species Musca domestica and Sarcophaga ruficornis were also found infesting the wounds of 3.8% and 1.9% animals respectively. The overall infestation rate was high in summer followed by spring and autumn and least in winter. The most frequently infested body regions were fractured horn, perianal region, tail base, neck among males and vulvar lips, hooves, fractured horn, neck among females. Neglected open wounds, faecal staining, posterior paralysis and ignorance among farmers were found to be the key predisposing factors for onset of myiasis among dairy animals.