Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, 1621 Cumberland Ave., #505 Strong Hall, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
Acta Parasitol. 2021 Sep;66(3):1079-1081. doi: 10.1007/s11686-021-00346-y. Epub 2021 Mar 7.
Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a medically and forensically important blow fly species that invaded the United States three decades ago and has continued to expand its distribution across the country ever since. Unlike many other blow fly species, larvae of C. megacephala can develop in feces, particularly from humans. Additionally, C. megacephala is known to carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria in even greater quantities than house flies in tropical areas. This behavior, along with its dissemination into and prevalence within human inhabited environments (e.g., outdoor markets, urban neighborhoods), makes C. megacephala a potential threat to human health. This short communication serves as the first record of C. megacephala in Tennessee, USA.
Collections of adult and larval blow flies were made from two sets of human remains decomposing at the Anthropology Research Facility (ARF) at the University of Tennessee. Specimens were confirmed by an expert to be C. megacephala.
A total of seven individual specimens (four adults and three larvae) of C. megacephala were collected from human bodies at the ARF. These results indicate that C. megacephala is not just dispersing into this environment as adults, but actively colonizing human remains in this semi-urban area.
These observations support the previously described behavior and habitat of this filth-breeding fly in many Asian countries where it is considered medically and forensically important. Therefore, continuously updated distribution records, like this one, are critical for tracking the movement of C. megacephala across the United States.
巨颊金蝇（Fabricius）（双翅目：丽蝇科）是一种具有医学和法医学重要意义的麻蝇物种，三十年前入侵美国，此后一直在全国范围内不断扩大其分布范围。与许多其他麻蝇物种不同，巨颊金蝇的幼虫可以在粪便中发育，特别是来自人类的粪便。此外，巨颊金蝇在热带地区携带抗生素耐药细菌的数量甚至比家蝇还多。这种行为，以及其在人类居住环境（例如户外市场、城市社区）中的传播和流行，使其成为人类健康的潜在威胁。本简讯首次记录了美国田纳西州的巨颊金蝇。
从田纳西大学人类学研究设施（ARF）中两具正在分解的人类遗骸中收集成蝇和幼虫麻蝇。专家确认标本为巨颊金蝇。
从 ARF 的人体中总共收集了 7 只巨颊金蝇个体标本（4 只成虫和 3 只幼虫）。这些结果表明，巨颊金蝇不仅作为成虫散布到这个环境中，而且还在这个半城市地区积极地在人类遗骸上定殖。
这些观察结果支持了该腐生蝇在许多亚洲国家被认为具有医学和法医学重要意义的先前描述的行为和栖息地。因此，像这样不断更新的分布记录对于追踪巨颊金蝇在美国的迁徙至关重要。
