Evidence of a biological mode of transmission of enteric bacteria by musca domestica sorbens

ABSTRACT

Groups of the house fly, Musca domestica sorbens, were fed on sugary solution contaminated with an aflagellated strain of Escherichia coli. Multiplication of this pathogen was detected during one week after the ingestion of E. coli, contaminated food. Bacterial propagation in the fly gut was found to be accompanied by a change of the aflagellated E. coli to the flagellated form. The gaining of flagellae during incubation in the fly gut was found to be stable even after being ingested again by another group of flies. Propagation of E. coli in the fly gut as well as flagellation development could indicate a biological means of transmission of enteric bacteria by M. domestica sorbens