title: Mechanical transmission of turkey coronavirus by domestic houseflies (Musca domestica Linnaeaus).
abstract: Domestic houseflies (Musca domestica Linnaeaus) were examined for their ability to harbor and transmit turkey coronavirus (TCV). Laboratory-reared flies were experimentally exposed to TCV by allowing flies to imbibe an inoculum comprised of turkey embryo-propagated virus (NC95 strain). TCV was detected in dissected crops from exposed flies for up to 9 hr postexposure; no virus was detected in crops of sham-exposed flies. TCV was not detected in dissected intestinal tissues collected from exposed or sham-exposed flies at any time postexposure. The potential of the housefly to directly transmit TCV to live turkey poults was examined by placing 7-day-old turkey poults in contact with TCV-exposed houseflies 3 hr after flies consumed TCV inoculum. TCV infection was detected in turkeys placed in contact with TCV-exposed flies at densities as low as one fly/bird (TCV antigens detected at 3 days post fly contact in tissues of 3/12 turkeys); however, increased rates of infection were observed with higher fly densities (TCV antigens detected in 9/12 turkeys after contact with 10 flies/bird). This study demonstrates the potential of the housefly to serve as a mechanical vector of TCV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Calibeo-Hayes
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Denning
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stringham
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.forename: Lynda G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D Wes
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004752:Coronavirus, Turkey / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004753:Enteritis, Transmissible, of Turkeys / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D006793:Houseflies / Q000821:virology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D014422:Turkeys / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral