Isolation And Characterisation Of Bacteria Associated With Musca Domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) In Hospitals

Abstract:
This study sought to determine the role of Musca. domestica, sampled from UK hospitals, as reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria. M. domestica were collected from pre-existing ultra-violet light flytraps located throughout the hospitals. External washings and macerates of M. domestica were prepared and inoculated onto agars and following incubation bacterial colonies identified by biochemical tests. Fourteen batches of M. domestica (n = 67) were sampled from 6 hospitals between March 2010 to August 2011 and 28 bacterial isolates (21 different species) were obtained. Bacterial isolates were recovered from all 14 M. domestica batches. There were 15 occurrences of Enterobacteriaceae (53%) (12 species), 7 Bacilli (25%) (4 species), 3 Clostridia (11%) (1 to genus level, 2 other species) 2 Staphylococci (7%) (S. aureus) and 1 Streptococci (4%). Bacterial species recovered multiple times were Bacillus subtilis Group, Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae. The significance of these data is that M. domestica may carry pathogenic bacteria in the healthcare environment. This study highlights the potential for M. domestica to contribute to persistence and spread of pathogenic bacteria in hospitals and the need to consider pest control as part of infection control strategies.