Myiasis by Cordylobia anthropophaga (Calliphoridae) in rodents from Cape Verde

Abstract

Purpose The tumbu fly, Cordylobia anthropophaga (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is widely distributed in continental tropical and subtropical Africa, being the most common cause of furuncular myiasis in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the present work was to analyze the role of rodents as possible reservoirs of C. anthropophaga in Cape Verde, considering the zoonotic character of this fly species. Materials and Methods A total of 150 peridomestic rodents were studied in Santiago island. For the obtained larvae, morphological and molecular characters were analyzed. Results Cordylobia anthropophaga was found in 6.4% of the peridomestic Rattus rattus analyzed. The present work unveils the presence of C. anthropophaga in rodents of the African archipelago of Cape Verde, introduced probably with West African humans and/or animals. Conclusion The presence in peridomestic animals, and the wide range of species that this fly can affect, entails a zoonotic risk of myiasis by tumbu fly.