Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bot-fly larvae found in horse diaphragm - what does it mean?
By Cavallero, Serena et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology·2017·Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Gasterophilus intestinalis (Diptera: Oestridae) in the diaphragmatic muscle: An unusual finding.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In this case, researchers found larvae of the bot-fly Gasterophilus intestinalis in an unusual spot: the diaphragmatic muscle of a horse. Normally, these larvae are found in the gastrointestinal tract and can cause problems there, but this case showed no signs of the typical issues associated with these parasites. To confirm the species, the team used both physical characteristics and genetic testing, as the location was quite rare. This discovery provides new insights into how these larvae can move within a horse's body, which is not well understood. Overall, this finding highlights a unique aspect of Gasterophilus intestinalis and its behavior.
Abstract
Larval forms of the bot-fly Gasterophilus are obligate parasites commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract of equids, causing intestinal myiasis. Five species are reported so far in Italy, mostly observed during necroscopy, located in different portion of gastrointestinal tract of equids: G. intestinalis, G. nasalis, G. inermis, G. pecorum and G. haemorrhoidalis. An unusual finding of larval Gasterophilus intestinalis deeply inserted into the diaphragmatic muscle is here reported. Due to the uncommon localization, to the absence of clinical signs related to myiasis and subsequent uncertainty of species identity, identification was performed using an integrative taxonomical approach combining morphology with molecular tools for confirmatory reasons. This finding adds information on migration patterns of erratic larval forms in G. intestinalis, a feature of interest as gasterophiliasis is among the less studied intestinal myiasis of horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28274493/