The role of the house fly (Musca domestica) in the dissemination of hookworm.

Eggs and larvae of Ancylostoma caninum were recovered from the crop, mid-gut and hind-gut of Musca domestica; only larvae were recovered from the vomitus and one dead infective larva was recovered from the faeces on one occasion. All eggs recovered from the gut hatched after incubation for 48 hours. Up to 319 eggs and 1485 larvae were recovered from the legs of experimentally contaminated flies. The viability of the eggs and the longevity of the larvae recovered from the gut and external surface of the flys varied but larvae survived longer in the gut than on the external surface.