Mast cells and eosinophils in nasal cavities and pharynx of camels (Camelus dromedarius) naturally infected by Cephalopina titillator (Clark 1816).

Cephalopina titillator is a common parasite of camels in Africa and in Asia . The larvae of this fly reach a length of up to 32 mm and possess smooth a nd fleshy processes and large mouth-hooks. For a long time, the development of clinical signs of the infection was attributed to these anatomical pecu liarities and other factors were neglected. For the first time, the inflamm atory response of the nasopharynx was explored in naturally infected camels from the Laayoune region (Occidental Sahara, West Africa). The presence of larvae (second instar and third instar larvae) led to an important recruit ment of eosinophils (x 10) and mast cells (x 2) in the pharynx, the nasal s eptum, the conchae and the turbinates mucosae. Mast cells and eosinophils c ounts were very different from those obtained in non infected camels except in a few number of lightly infected camels. Nothing is known about the eff ectiveness of this inflammatory response on the control of larval burden bu t it seems likely that these cells are involved in the pathological process .