Sessions

Avian louse flies (Hippoboscidae: Ornithomyinae) are hematophagous ectoparasites of birds that may contribute to the transmission of various pathogens. Our study aimed to investigate the occurrence of selected bacterial and protozoan pathogens in avian louse flies collected from birds in Hungary and to assess their role in pathogen transmission. A total of 253 louse flies representing nine species were examined. The DNA of Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in one Ornithomya avicularia specimen from a Common Blackbird (Turdus merula). This sequence represented a genotype that had only been described from birds and hematophagous bird parasites so far. The DNA of Haematospirillum jordaniae was detected in three Ornithomya fringillina specimens collected from reed-associated birds. Trypanosoma DNA was relatively common, with several genotypes belonging to the Trypanosoma bennetti and Trypanosoma corvi/culicavum groups identified, including T. culicavium of lineage V and the recently described lineage B14, with the latter only found in swallow-associated flies. On the other hand, no DNA of Bartonella, Borrelia, Rickettsiaceae, or piroplasms was detected. The evidence suggests that avian louse flies are unlikely to play a significant role in transmitting the investigated bacterial pathogens and piroplasms. At the same time, their repeated association with several Trypanosoma lineages supports a possible role in transmitting these parasites. More experimental studies are needed to determine whether avian louse flies can biologically transmit the detected pathogens.