Cephenemyiosis, an emergent myiasis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from northwestern Spain

Occurrence of Cephenemyia Stimulator Larvae in Male Roe Deer (Capreolus Capreolus L.) in The Lublin Upland, Poland, and Their Impact on Particular Animal Health Indicators

Introduction

The aim of the study was to carry out epizootic assessment of male roe deer to detect the presence of Cephenemyia stimulator larvae and determine the influence of the parasite on the carcass and antler weight in animals living in different habitats.

Material and Methods

The investigations were based on post-mortem analysis of Cephenemyia stimulator infestations of the nasal passages and throat of 177 male roe deer culled between May 11 and September 30, 2020 in hunting districts of the Lublin region in Poland. The individual quality of the animals was assessed by weighing the gutted carcasses after cooling, and the antlers were weighed after dissection and their total weight was determined.

Results

The parasite prevalence ranged from18 to 48% according to habitat type, with a mean value of 33%. The highest prevalence was detected in bucks living in grassland ecosystems. The presence of the parasites exerted influence on the individual condition of the animals, which was reflected in reduced carcass and antler weight. The differences were found both in young individuals and in somatically fully developed animals, but they were not statistically significant in all age groups.

Conclusion

Although the parasitic infestations impaired the individual condition traits, their parametric values in most cases were not lower than those reported from other regions of Poland. Despite the Cephenemyia stimulator infestation, male roe deer from the Lublin region are characterised by high carcass and antler weight.

An Update on Cephenemyiosis in the European Roe Deer: Emergent Myiasis in Spain

Cephenemyia stimulator is a Palearctic species developing in the nasal cavity and pharynx of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). It is widely spread in the range of distribution of this ungulate in Europe. Since the first report of C. stimulator in Spain in 2001, a rapid geographic expansion has been observed, first in the north of the country, with high prevalence and intensities of infestation that caused some mortal cases, and, lately, also in Extremadura and Andalucía, the southernmost populations of European roe deer. These observations suggest an adaptation of this parasite to different ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula. Almost simultaneously, C. stimulator is also expanding its range to northern Europe, with the first cases being reported in Sweden. Thus, Cephenemyia stimulator may be an example of a parasite currently displaying distributional changes along its southernmost and northernmost range margins. Thus, it is of the utmost importance to unravel all the epidemiological and clinical aspects of this myiasis, as well as implementing surveillance measures including reliable and non-invasive diagnostic techniques to monitor its expansion and adaptation to different ecosystems and/or hosts and to reduce the negative impact on roe deer populations.

Mixed Nasopharyngeal Myiasis by Bots and Blowflies in a Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)

A mixed nasopharyngeal infestation by larvae of Cephenemyia stimulator (Diptera: Oestridae) and Lucilia caesar (Diptera: Calliphoridae) was detected in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) killed in a car collision in Lugo, Spain, in July 2020. This paper stresses the importance of correctly identifying larvae in myiasis cases.