Abstract
Stomoxys flies are widely distributed and economically significant vectors of various livestock pathogens of veterinary importance. However, the role of Stomoxys spp. in pathogen transmission is poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the feeding patterns of these blood feeders collected from specific locations in Kenya to identify various vertebrate hosts they fed on, the livestock hemopathogens they carried, and to elucidate their role in pathogens transmission. Our findings show that field-collected Stomoxys flies carried several pathogens, including Trypanosoma spp., Anaplasma spp., and Theileria spp., which were also detected in the blood of sampled livestock, namely camels and cattle. The findings on blood meal analysis show that Stomoxys flies fed on various domestic and wild vertebrate hosts. We further determined whether Stomoxys spp. are vectors of hemopathogens they harbored by studying the vector competence of Stomoxys calcitrans, S. niger niger, and S. boueti species complex, through laboratory and natural experimental in vivo studies. We show that in the process of blood feeding Stomoxys spp. complexes can transmit Trypanosoma evansi (8.3%) and T. vivax (30%) to Swiss white mice. In addition, field-collected Stomoxys spp. were exposed to healthy mice for blood meal acquisition, and in the process of feeding, they transmitted Theileria mutans and Anaplasma spp. to Swiss white mice (100% infection in the test mice group). All mice infected with trypanosomes via Stomoxys bite died while those infected with Theileria and Anaplasma species did not, demonstrating the virulence difference between pathogens. The key finding of this study showing the wide distribution, broad feeding host range, plethora of pathogens harbored, and efficient vector competence in spreading multiple pathogens suggests the significant role of Stomoxys on pathogen transmission and infection prevalence in livestock.