A study on isolation of entero-pathogenic bacteria mechanically transmitted by musca domestic {housefly} around maasai mara university in narok county.

Abstract

The house fly, scientifically known as Musca domestica is such a cosmopolitan insect that it’s considered part of daily life around many human habitations and different locations in terrestrial environment. It has always been a potential agent for disease transmission due to its habitual movement from very filthy locations such as human feces, other animal excreta, left carcasses, garbage and rotting organisms ever since its existence(Macovei et al, 2005). This makes them ideal candidates for transmission of various infections such as cholera, shigellosis, salmonellosis including other food and water borne infections (Zurek et al). To fully assess the role of houseflies in epidemiology of human diseases it’s important to understand the diversity of micro biota harbored by natural fly populations. This led to my research study in determining the intensity and contamination levels of the external morphology of the housefly around the university area and its environs using both culture dependent and independent methods. This study of microorganisms however requires techniques for isolating microbial cells from their natural sources in this case the housefly and growing them in the laboratory on synthetic media. A total of 50 bacteria species were isolated from the external body parts of 100 housefly collected in different places including garbage locations and near food settings. After inoculation and incubation of cultures, colonies were purely isolated to get specific colonies of bacteria which were classified to genus level. Microscopic slides were then prepared by placing part of pure culture on a slide and then viewed under a microscope after gram staining to determine the gram negative and positive characteristics of bacteria. Some of the isolated genus of bacteria included Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and clostridium difficile as a reference to those that are antibiotic resistant and mostly enteropathogenic. Other disease causing pathogens were also isolated and classified according to their various shapes and forms. Their pathogenicity levels were considered and the ability of this agents to be able to be transmitted to other parts including human habitation and food settings also noted. Procedures according to Nunes et al were followed in preparation of collection of bacteria from the head, wings and body appendages of the insect. Most of us see house flies as just an irritation, buzzing around and trying to feed on any food it can access within the home but don’t know flies do transmit the most common infections. Some diseases are usually very serious and even potentially deadly. Although eradicating them solely is hard, reducing fly populations and limiting contact with food in particular is an important part of hygiene and minimising risks of infection by these pathogens vectored by this insect. For this reason, and, the fact that the housefly is an efficient and successful insect, it is important for me as a research biologist to make a close study and understand its life, history and habits of this insect and carry out experiments in my study area in order to create awareness and help prevent random disease transmission. It’s ironic how most of us think of maggots as being filthier than the adult fly. However, it is the adult fly that is more likely to spread diseases by its feeding habits and movement patterns compared to other stages of its life cycle.