title: Control of the sheep blowfly in Australia and New Zealand--are we there yet?
abstract: The last 50 years of research into infections in Australia and New Zealand caused by larvae of the sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, have significantly advanced our understanding of this blowfly and its primary host, the sheep. However, apart from some highly effective drugs it could be argued that no new control methodologies have resulted. This review addresses the major areas of sheep blowfly research over this period describing the significant outcomes and analyses, and what is still required to produce new commercial control technologies. The use of drugs against this fly species has been very successful but resistance has developed to almost all current compounds. Integrated pest management is becoming basic to control, especially in the absence of mulesing, and has clearly benefited from computer-aided technologies. Biological control has more challenges but natural and perhaps transformed biopesticides offer possibilities for the future. Experimental vaccines have been developed but require further analysis of antigens and formulations to boost protection. Genetic technologies may provide potential for long-term control through more rapid indirect selection of sheep less prone to flystrike. Finally in the future, genetic analysis of the fly may allow suppression and perhaps eradication of blowfly populations or identification of new and more viable targets for drug and vaccine intervention. Clearly all these areas of research offer potential new controls but commercial development is perhaps inhibited by the success of current chemical insecticides and certainly requires a significant additional injection of resources.
authors.affiliation: School of Applied and Biomedical Sciences, Federation University, Churchill, Gippsland, Vic. 3842, Australia. Electronic address: mark.sandeman@federation.edu.au.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Sandeman
authors.affiliation: Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Levot
authors.affiliation: AgResearch Ltd., c/o MPI, National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease, P.O. Box 4072, Upper Hutt 5018, New Zealand.
authors.forename: A C G
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.affiliation: Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, University of Queensland, Dutton Park, Qld 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, 3 Baron Hay Court, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Greeff
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7613, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Batterham
authors.affiliation: Centre for Animal Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Bowles
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D007306:Insecticides; D007814:Larva; D009198:Myiasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D009520:New Zealand; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Biological control; Drug resistance; Genetics; Lucilia cuprina; Sheep resistance; Vaccines