Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Our objective was to evaluate boric acid sugar solutions administered in the J-tube device for the management of house flies in poultry houses. On Farm A, four poultry houses were used each measuring 22,000 ft2. These houses were fogged with an insecticide to control the resident fly population before the treatments were placed. Two houses received boric acid treatments, one house was treated with the neonicitinoid (Nithiazine) and the 4th a control. On farm B, six poultry houses were used, each measuring 18,000 ft2 and the resident fly population was not controlled prior to treatment. Two houses were treated with boric acid, two were treated with Nithiazine and two houses were untreated controls. Fly populations were monitored using white index cards were fixed to posts and end walls of the poultry house. J-tubes were constructed from PVC pipes and placed in the poultry houses. Bait dispensers were constructed from 30-cm by 3.12-cm-OD thin walled PVC tubes connected
with two PVC 90o (L) connectors to form a J-shaped feeder. A rubber stopper was fitted at the top end of the long tube, and a cotton plug at the other end served as a drinking surface for house flies. Ten J-tubes were placed at each end wall of the poultry house. An additional 10 J-tubes were distributed linearly along the feed line in the house for a total of 30 J-tubes per house. Each J-tube was filled with 500 ml of 2% boric acid and 0.5 molar sucrose and water at 2-week intervals and the cotton batten replaced. The Quick StrikeTM Nithiazine abatement strip was used for comparison. The strip was suspended vertically over a 1.5 liter plastic tub. Ampules containing fly attractants at the ends of the strip were broken to enhance the relative attraction for house flies. Flies visiting the strip fell into the plastic tub. The contents of the tub were collected weekly. The size of the house was taken into account and 20 fly abatement strips were placed in each house on Farm A, while 15
strips were placed in each Farm B house. House flies were readily attracted to the J-tubes containing boric acid and sucrose solutions and the Quick Strike strips. We counted fly specks on 3 by 5 index cards was used to measure the impact of the treatments on both Farm A and B. Boric acid treatments for both treated houses were not significantly different from the control (P< 0.08, and P< 0.136, respectively). Fly densities were significantly lower in the Nithiazine treatment (P < 0.001). Based on speck card data, treatments on Farm B were significantly different (P< 0.001), however, the control houses had lower speck card averages than the treated houses. Mean number of specks per card for the boric acid treated houses was higher than the control (P< 0.002). Similarly, the Nithiazine treated houses were higher than the controls (P< 0.001). On farm A, the nithiazine treated house had lower speck card means than the other houses (P< 0.001). Total number of flies collected from the
nithiazine traps in one poultry house on Farm A numbered 1.66 million. On Farm B, two nithiazine treated houses produced 1.41 million and 1.39 million house flies.
Impacts
In our study, Farm A did not exceed the 100 spots per card threshold throughout the 13-week study period. Farm B, however, exceeded the threshold on numerous occasions. These data suggest that boric acid or nithiazine treatments may help maintain fly densities below threshold if the resident fly population is controlled between flocks. Relative to the other treatments, boric acid baits did not demonstrate effective fly control at the trap densities used in this study (30 J-tubes per treated house). Increasing the number of J-tubes may have increased efficacy, however an increased number of stations would significantly increase labor.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
RATIONAL AND OBJECTIVE: North Carolina is the fourth leading producer of poultry in the Nation and as such important biosecurity measures need to be in place to address the diversity and source of transmission of food borne pathogens populations on poultry farms. The major objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and relative importance of sources of transmission of Salmonella and Campylobacter in arthropods, mainly house fly and other dipterous insects in and around poultry farms. METHODS: Poultry farms were sampled weekly for flies using Nithiazine strip, (Quick Strike). The active ingredient in the strip caused flies to die immediately on contact and subsequently allowing for easy recovery of bacteria contained within the dead flies. A Quick Strike strip was suspended from the center of a 5 gallon plastic trash container turned upside down and secured at the bottom on an aluminum pan measuring 13 by 10 and 3 inches in depth. Two traps were place outside
at each of poultry house sampled. Flies were collected from inside the poultry house by suspending a Nithiazine strip from the ceiling and placing a plastic catch basin directly beneath. Two containers were placed in each house. The following day the captured flies were retrieved and taken to the laboratory were they were counted. From each trap a representative sample pool (30 flies) was surface sterilized and the fly bodies macerated. The macerated fly suspension was plated onto Salmonella selective medium (XLT) and incubated. Salmonella suspect colonies were typically black in color. Suspect colonies were transferred to enrichment medium and subcultured to confirm identification. Cultures were then frozen at -70 for subsequent genetic analysis. SUMMARY OF RESULTS: Among the 28 farms selected for the study fly traps were set inside and outside of the structure make up 280 fly collections during the season. A total of 110,688 flies were captured for a mean fly trap capture of 403.97.
Fly traps placed outside the poultry barn captured more flies than those inside, 65,192 and 45,496, respectively. Twenty-eight of the 274 fly pools were suspect for Salmonella on XLT medium for a total of 9.48%. Suspect cultures were subsequently not confirmed as Salmonella in AFLP analysis.
Impacts
The potential spread of pathogens is a concern for the poultry industry. We have effectively demonstrated the use of a fly abatement strip for monitoring fly associated pathogens around poultry houses. Our studies demonstrate the risks associated with flies and the potential to spread foodborne pathogens.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
The house fly, Musca domestica (L.) is a common poultry farm pest. Adult house flies subsist on semi-solid and liquid diets obtained from the environment. Manure and excreted body fluids provide the house fly with much of the nutrition required to sustain the insect life. As a result of such feeding habits the house fly has been implicated in the transmission of over 30 bacterial, protozoan, and viral diseases. The role of house flies as vectors of human and animal pathogens and their function in disease transmission has gained interest in recent years. Last season we conducted studies on the efficacy of insecticides and disinfectant tank mixes to manage poultry pests and sanitize production facilities. Mixing insecticides and disinfectants in one spray tank for insect and pathogen control in poultry facilities may compromise the efficacy of one or both of the chemicals. We evaluated the efficacies of commonly used insecticides and disinfectants for their intended
purpose and as mixtures. Bioassays were performed using house fly and a Salmonella strain isolated from a poultry house. We found that the practice of using tank mixes compromised most disinfectants and insecticides used in the poultry industry today. This year we focused our efforts on determining relative importance of house flies in the spread of Salmonella inside and outside the poultry house. During the Summer of 2004, from June to October, flies were trapped from turkey houses in the Eastern part of North Carolina. A total of 152 farms were visited. Quick strike fly abatement strips (Nithiazine) were used to collect the flies at each farm. Traps were designed so flies feeding on the strips fell into catch basins below. Four traps were placed at each farm. Two traps were placed in opposite corners inside the poultry barn. Two additional traps were placed outside the barns in opposing corners. The traps were retrieved the following day and the house flies were weighed and the
number calculated volumetrically. A total of 110,688 house flies were collected season long with a mean of 404 flies per farm visit. As expected, traps placed inside the barn caught more house flies, averaging 475 flies than traps placed outside with 332 flies. Collected flies were pooled in groups of 20 flies. If less than 20 flies were collected all flies were used and 295 pools were tested for presence of Salmonella. Pooled flies were surface sterilized in dilute bleach and macerated. Macerated flies were suspended in Salmonella enrichment culture medium tetrathionate broth and then Salmonella selective medium, XLT agar. A total of 26 isolates of salmonella representing 8.8% of pooled flies were found. Generally Salmonella positive fly pools collected outside were correlated to positive fly pools collected inside the house. In some cases positive pools were found outside and no positive pools were found inside the houses.
Impacts
The potential spread of pathogens is a concern for the poultry industry. Our studies demonstrate the risks associated with the of mixing insecticides and disinfectants for the management of insects and disease agents in poultry facilities. We have effectively demonstrated the use of a fly abatement strip for monitoring fly associated pathogens around poultry houses.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
Efficacy of insecticides and disinfectant tank mixes to manage poultry pests and sanitize production facilities. Mixing insecticides and disinfectants in one spray tank for insect and pathogen control in poultry facilities may compromise the efficacy of one or both of the chemicals. We evaluated the efficacies of commonly used insecticides and disinfectants for their intended purpose and as mixtures. Bioassays were performed using house fly and a Salmonella strain isolated from a poultry house. The insecticides tested were: Ravap, Cyfluthrin, Permethrin, Rabon, and Extinosad. The disinfectants tested were: Synergize, Tryad, DCR, Virkon-S, and Dyne-O-Might. Plywood boards were exposed to the elements for aging and then cut into 30cm2 boards. Boards were sprayed with the appropriate insecticide, disinfectant or mixture and then air-dried. Thirty flies were placed on the board surface and the flies covered with a hoop of nylon mesh. Mortality was measured after 6 hrs for
all insecticide, disinfectant or mixture. Mortalities were assessed at 24 hrs for the slower acting Extinosad. The poultry derived Salmonella strain was cultured in sterile nutrient broth. About 300 ml of disinfectant, insecticide or mixture were added to about 107 Salmonella cells in 2 ml of nutrient broth in a culture tube. The solutions were plated and scored for growth or no growth (+/-). House fly mortality was unchanged by the addition of disinfectants to Ravap and Rabon insecticides. The efficacy of Extinosad appeared to be compromised by Virkon-S after 6 hrs and all other disinfectants after 24 hrs. Mortality of house fly when Permethrin was mixed with Virkon-S, DCR, Tryad and Dyne O Might was considerably lower than with Permethrin alone after 24 hrs. Mortality of house flies exposed to Cyfluthrin mixed with Tryad was considerably lower than with Cyfluthrin alone. Two disinfectants, DCR and Synergize, effectively inhibited the growth of Salmonella isolate at the prescribed
label rate. Mixtures of DCR and all insecticides tested did not reduce efficacy. Mixtures of Synergize and all insecticides tested did not inhibit growth of Salmonella. We evaluated the use of nithiazine strips to collect house flies for pathogen monitoring. The Quickstrike abatement strip, contains two feeding attractants and a sex pheromone to lure flies to the strip where they are killed instantly upon contact with the active ingredient, nithiazine, an insecticide in the neonicotinoid class. The abatement strips were secured in an inverted plastic container to protect the light sensitive compound and allowing for collection of euthanized flies. Poultry farms were sampled weekly for flies using the device. Two traps were placed outside and two inside the poultry house. The following day the caught flies caught were collected and brought to the lab were the number was estimated volumetrically. A representative sample of 20 to 200 flies in pools were tested. Flies were surface
sterilized, macerated and plated onto selective medium for the isolation of Campylobacter (CCDA) and plates were incubated. Campylobacter was isolated from 4 of 23 fly pools.
Impacts
The potential spread of pathogens is a concern for the poultry industry. Studies presented here clearly demonstrate the risks associated with the of mixing insecticides and disinfectants for the management of insects and disease agents in poultry facilities. We are also evaluating the use of a fly abatement strip for monitoring fly associated pathogens around poultry houses.
Publications
- Watson, D. W., S. S. Denning. L. Zurek, S. M. Stringham and J. Elliott. 2003. Effects of lime hydrate on the growth and development of darkling beetle, Alphitobius diaperinus. Intl. J. Poult. Sci. 2: 91-96.
- Calibeo-Hayes, D., S. S. Denning, S. M. Stringham, J. S. Guy, L. G. Smith, and D. W. Watson. 2003. Mechanical transmission of turkey coronavirus by domestic house flies (Musca domestica L.) Avian Dis. 47: 149-153.
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Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02
Outputs
Reservoir potential of house fly for the transmission of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in House fly. Campylobacter species cause approximately 14.2 percent of the 76 million cases of foodborne illness that occur annually in the US. Bacteria shed in the feces of contaminated birds may be consumed by the house fly and subsequently spread to humans. This experiment was designed to examine the potential of the house fly to harbor Campylobacter in the digestive tract. House fly were deprived of food and water prior to experimentation. Three groups of 30 house flies were placed in separate plastic containers with screened covers. Flies were fed 300ml Campylobacter jejuni or C. coli, treatments 1 and 2, respectively. Treatments were administered to the flies by pipetting broth containing the bacteria onto a small strip of cotton ball and placed on top of the screened cover of the plastic cup. Controls (treatment 3) were administered water. After feeding for 2
hours the flies were transferred into clean plastic cups and were given sterile water. Five flies were randomly selected, surfaced- sterilized and the crop and hindgut were dissected and plated at intervals of 0,1,3,5, and 7 hrs post feeding. The plates were incubated for 24-48 hours. Crops of flies fed Campylobacter spp were positive up to 3hrs post feeding, while the hind gut were positive up to 7 hrs post feeding. All the controls were negative for all time intervals. Further studies will examine the role of house fly in the transmission of these and other bacteria relative to food borne illness.
Impacts
This is the first of a series of studies to investigate the potential of the house fly and other arthopods associated with poultry production in the dissemination of foodborne pathogens. The association and interaction of bacteria and their vectors may encourage the re-evaluation of existing pest management practices.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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