Elephant Foot Fly Infection (Parasitic Disease Summary)

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Elephant Foot Fly Infection:

Summary Information
Diseases / List of Parasitic Diseases / Disease summary
Alternative Names	Elephant foot maggot infection See also: Bots (Gastric Myiasis) in Elephants Myiasis Old World Screw-worms in Elephants Skin Warbles in Elephants
Disease Agents	Neocuterebra squamosa (B24, B214.3.7.w3, B384.7.w7, J377.13.w1) The fly measures 14 - 22 mm in length and is dark metallic blue or violet. Mature larvae reach up to 25 mm long. (J377.13.w1) Loxodonta africana - African Elephant is the only host for this species. (B387.w4)
	Infectious Agent(s)	Neocuterebra squamosa (Oestridae - (Family))
	Non-infectious Agent(s)	--
	Physical Agent(s)	--
General Description	Loxodonta africana - African Elephant The maggot is found in the sole of the foot of elephants. (B24, B214.3.7.w3, B384.7.w7, B387.w4, J377.13.w1) Both second and third instar larvae are found "in the dermal tissue of the foot, in pockets with a narrow opening towards the crevices of the sole." (J377.13.w1)
Further Information	Distribution: West Africa. (B214.3.7.w3) This fly is found only in Africa, in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Uganda and Zaire. (B384.7.w7) Found in southern Cameroon and in the Congo. (J377.13.w1) [Note: In a book on African elephants it is stated that "an oestrid larva is known to parasitise the feet of Asiatic elephants kept in such conditions of captivity that they are constantly kept standing in ill-drained line or stalls. One has been unable to trace any reference to this type of occurrence in African elephants." [1971] (B453.7.w7)
Associated Techniques	History & Documentation Physical Examination of Mammals Treatment and Care - General Environmental Assessment Necropsy of Mammals Chapter 2 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen Collection and Preservation Chapter 3 - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Specimen shipment Appendix A - B36 Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases - Sample specimen history form
Host taxa groups /species	Further information on Host species has only been incorporated for species groups for which a full Wildpro "Health and Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature review has been undertaken). Loxodonta africana - African Elephant (List does not contain all other species groups affected by this disease)

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