title: Disease dynamics and persistence of Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus infections in laboratory house fly (Musca domestica) populations.
abstract: Past surveys of feral house fly populations have shown that Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus (MdSGHV) has a worldwide distribution, with an average prevalence varying between 0.5% and 10%. How this adult-specific virus persists in nature is unknown. In the present study, experiments were conducted to examine short-term transmission efficiency and long-term persistence of symptomatic MdSGHV infections in confined house fly populations. Average rates of disease transmission from virus-infected to healthy flies in small populations of 50 or 100 flies ranged from 3% to 24% and did not vary between three tested geographical strains that originated from different continents. Introduction of an initial proportion of 40% infected flies into fly populations did not result in epizootics. Instead, long-term observations demonstrated that MdSGHV infection levels declined over time, resulting in a 10% infection rate after passing through 10 filial generations. In all experiments, induced disease rates were significantly higher in male flies than in female flies and might be explained by male-specific behaviors that increased contact with viremic flies and/or virus-contaminated surfaces.
authors: Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. vlietze@ufl.edu
authors: Verena-Ulrike
authors: VU
authors: Lietze
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Geden
authors: Melissa A
authors: MA
authors: Doyle
authors: Drion G
authors: DG
authors: Boucias
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006793:Houseflies / Q000821:virology*; D007304:Insect Viruses / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology