Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-b95js Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-10T18:08:15.020Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Onchocerciasis in British cattle: a study of the transmission of Onchocerca sp. in North Wales

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2009

P.J. McCall  and
A. J. Trees
P.J. McCall
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
A. J. Trees
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The transmission of bovine Onchocerca spp. in Britain was investigated by studying the Ceratopogonidae and Simuliidae which attacked bait cattle between April and October at two sites in North Wales, where either Onchocerca lienalis and O. gutturosa (Cynwyd), or O. lienalis alone (Pentrefoelas) occurred. Based on the relative abundance of each species, their seasonal variation in abundance and preferential feeding sites on cattle, the presence of Onchocerca sp. infective larvae and the development of patent infections in bait cattle, vectors were identified as Simulium ornatum s.1. at Pentrefoelas and S. reptans at Cynwyd (0·5% and 1·5% of parous flies infective, respectively). There was no significant difference between the lengths of the infective larvae from vectors at either site (Pentrefoelas: mean = 543·5 μm, SD = 29·45; Cynwyd: mean = 550·86 μm, SD = 35·26; p > 0·1), which were consistent with descriptions of O. lienalis. The identity of a vector for O. gutturosa was not determined and the role of certain candidates is discussed. In this respect, the absence of Culicoides nubeculosus was notable. Transmission of Onchocerca sp. was limited to a short period of about 8 weeks, by a combination of vector abundance and parasite uptake from dermal skin layers, and a mean daily temperature requirement of 15°C or more for complete parasite development in the vector. The effect of this temperature restriction in relation to the geographical distribution of the two species is discussed.

Keywords

Onchocerca lienalisOnchocerca gutturosaSimuliumCulicoidescattleBritainvectorstransmissionepidemiologyNematodaseasonal variation
Type
Research Papers
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 67 , Issue 2 , June 1993 , pp. 123 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bain, O. (1979) Transmission de l'Onchocerque bovine, Onchocerca gutturosa, par Culicoides. Annales de Parasitologie, 54, 483–488.Google ScholarPubMed
Bain, O. & Chabaud, A. G. (1986) Atlas des larves infestantes de Filaires. Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 37, 237–340.Google Scholar
Bain, O., Petit, G. & Poulain, B. (1978) Validité de deux espèces Onchocerca lienalis et O. gutturosa, chez les bovins. Annales de Parasitologie, 53, 421–430.Google Scholar
Beveridge, I., Kummerow, E. L., Wilkinson, P. & Copeman, D. B. (1981) An investigation of biting midges in relation to their potential as vectors of bovine onchocerciasis in North Queensland. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society, 20, 39–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bianco, A. E., Ham, P. J., El Sinnary, K. & Nelson, G. S. (1979) Successful development of Onchocerca from cattle in Aedes, Anopheles, Culex and Culicoides sp. Parasitology, 79, xxxv.Google Scholar
Boorman, J. & Goddard, P. (1970) Observations on the biology of Culicoides impunctatus Goetgh. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Southern England. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 60, 189–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckley, J. J. C. (1938) On Culicoides as a vector of Onchocerca gibsoni. Journal of Helminthology, 16, 121–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, J. D. & Pelham-Clinton, E. C. (1960) A taxonomic review of the British species of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 67, 181–302.Google Scholar
Crosskey, R. W. (1981) The identity and synonymy of Simulium (Wilhelmia) pseudequinum Seguy and the occurrence of this species in England (Diptera: Simuliidae). Entomologists Gazette, 32, 137–148.Google Scholar
Davies, J. B., Trees, A. J., McCall, P. J., Bockarie, M. J., Thompson, M. C. & Matturi, A. S. (1989) On the possibility of bovine Onchocerca species infecting Simulium damnosum s.1. in the forest zone of Sierra Leone. 2. Biting densities and filarial infections in Simulium spp. and Culicoides spp. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 83, 603–614.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, L. (1957) A study of the blackfly Simulium ornatum Mg. (Diptera) with particular reference to its activity on grazing cattle. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 48, 407–424.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, L. (1968) A key to the British species of Simuliidae (Diptera) in the larval pupal and adult stages. Freshwater Biological Association Scientific Publication, no. 24, pp. 126.Google Scholar
Dohnal, J., Blinn, J., Wahl, G. & Schulz-Key, H. (1990) Distribution of microfilariae of Onchocerca lienalis and Onchocerca gutturosa in the skin of cattle in Gerrmany and their development in Simulium ornatum and Culicoides nubeculosus following artificial infestation. Veterinary Parasitology, 36, 325–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eichler, D. A. (1973a) Studies on Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) and its development in Simulium ornatum (Meigen, 1818). 2. Behaviour of S. ornatum in relation to the transmission of O. gutturosa. Journal of Helminthology, 45, 259–270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eichler, D. A. (1973b) Studies on Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) and its development in Simulium ornatum (Meigen, 1818). 3. Factors affecting the development of the parasite in its vector. Journal of Helminthology, 47, 73–88.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eichler, D. A. (1973c) Studies on Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) and its development in Simulium ornatum (Meigen, 1818). 4. Systematics of O. gutturosa. Journal of Helminthology, 47, 89–96.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eichler, D. A. & Nelson, G. S. (1971) Studies on Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) and its development in Simulium ornatum (Meigen, 1818). 1. Observations on O. gutturosa in cattle in South-East England. Journal of Helminthology, 45, 245–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
El Sinnary, K. & Hussein, H. S. (1980) Culicoides kingi, Austen: a vector of Onchocerca gutturosa (Neumann, 1910) in Sudan. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 74, 655–656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flockhart, H. A. (1982) The identification of some Onchocerca spp. of cattle by isoenzyme analysis. Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie, 33, 51–56.Google ScholarPubMed
Foil, L., Stage, D. & Klei, T. R. (1984) Assessment of wild-caught Culicoides (Ceratopogonidae) species as natural vectors of Onchocerca cervicalis in Louisiana. Mosquito News, 44, 204–206.Google Scholar
Garms, R. (1973) Quantitive studies on the transmission of Onchocerca volvulus by Simulium damnosum in the Bong Range, Liberia. Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie, 24, 358–372.Google ScholarPubMed
Ham, P. J. (1986) Acquired resistance to Onchocerca lienalis infections in Simulium ornatum Meigen and Simulium lineatum Meigen following passive transfer of haemolymph from previously infected simuliids (Diptera: Simuliidae). Parasitology, 92, 269–277.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ham, P. J. & Bianco, A. E. (1983) Screening of some British simuliids for susceptibility to experimental Onchocerca lienalis infection. Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde, 69, 765–772.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ham, P. J. & Garms, R. (1987) Failure of Onchocerca gutturosa to develop in Simulium soubrense and Simulium yahense from Liberia. Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 38, 135–136.Google ScholarPubMed
Kloet, G. S. & Hincks, W. D. (1976) Check List of British Insects, part V. Diptera and Siphonaptera (2nd edition). Royal Entomological Society, London.Google Scholar
Lane, R. P. (1981) A quantitative analysis of wing pattern in the Culicoides pulicaris species group (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 72, 21–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lok, J. B., Cupp, E. W. & Bernardo, M. J. (1983) Simulium jenningsi Malloch (Diptera: Simuliidae): A vector of Onchocerca lienalis Stiles (Nematoda: Filarioidae) in New York. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 44, 2355–2358.Google Scholar
McCAll, P. J. & Trees, A. J. (1986) Onchocerca gutturosa develops in Simulium spp. to an infective larva indistinguishable from other Onchocerca spp. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 78, 539.Google Scholar
McCall, P. J. & Trees, A. J. (1989) Assessment of a silhouette trap for sampling zoophilic blackflies. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 3, 61–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mellor, P. S. (1972) Studies on Onchocerca cervicalis (Railliet & Henry) and its development in Culicoides (Latreille). Ph.D. Thesis, University of London.Google Scholar
Mikhailyuk, A. P. (1967) A study of the biology of Onchocerca gutturosa and O. lienalis in the Foreststeppe zone of the Ukrainian S.S.R. Veterinariya, Kiev, 11, 62–67 (Read in English Translation).Google Scholar
Muller, R. (1979) Identification of Onchocerca. In: Problems in the Identification of Parasites and their Vectors (editors, Taylor, A. E. R. and Muller, R.). Symposia of the British Society for Parasitology, vol. 17 pp. 175–206. Blackwell Scientific Publications: Oxford, UK.Google Scholar
Mwaiko, G. L. (1981) The develoment of Onchocerca gutturosa Neumann to the infective stage in Simulium vorax Pomeroy. Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie, 32, 276–277.Google Scholar
Omar, M. S. & Schulz-Key, H. (1978) Acid phosphatase activity in the larval stages of Onchocerca volvulus developing in the vector Simulium damnosum. Tropenmedizin und Parasitologie, 29, 359–363.Google ScholarPubMed
Post, R. J. (1979) A cytological study of certain British blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae). Ph.D. Thesis, University of East Anglia.Google Scholar
Ross, D. & Service, M. W. (1979) A modified Monks Wood light trap incorporating a flashing light. Mosquito News, 39, 610–616.Google Scholar
Rothfels, K. (1979) Cytotaxonomy of blackflies. Annual Review of Entomology, 24, 507–539.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schulz-Key, H. & Wenk, P. (1981) The transmission of Onchocerca tarsicola (Filariodea: Onchocercidae) by Odagmia ornata and Prosimulium nigripes (Diptera: Simuliidae). Journal of Helminthology, 55, 161–166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steward, J. S. (1937) The occurrence of Onchocerca gutturosa Neumann in England, with an account of its life history and development in Simulium ornatum Mg. Parasitology, 29, 212–219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sudia, W. D. & Chamberlain, R. W. (1962) Battery-operated light trap, an improved model. Mosquito News, 22, 126–129.Google Scholar
Takaoka, H. & Bain, O. (1990) Infections of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) with three types of zoonotic Onchocerca larvae in Oita, Japan. Japanese Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 18, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tidwell, M. A. & Tidwell, M. A. (1982) Development of Mansonella ozzardi in Simulium amazonicum, S. argentiscutum, and Culicoides insinuatus from Amazonas, Colombia. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 31, 1137–1141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trees, A. J., Mccall, P. J. & Crozier, S. J. (1987) Onchocerciasis in British cattle: a study of Onchocerca gutturosa and O. lienalis in North Wales. Journal of Helminthology, 61, 103–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wenk, P. (1981) Bionomics of adult blackflies. In: Blackflies, the Future for Biological Methods in Integrated Control (editor: Laird, M.) Academic Press, pp. 399.Google Scholar
Zwick, H. & Crosskey, R. W. (1981) The taxonomy and nomenclature of the blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) described by J. W. Meigen. Aquatic Insects, 2, 225–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar