Experimental bovine hypodermosis in Spain

An experimental survey was carried out in western Spain to investigate both the chronobiology of Hypoderma spp, and the immunoresponse of their bovine hosts. This study was initialed with a new system of obtaining Hypoderma s pp. larvae directly from their host, including the eclosion of adults from their pupae, infestation under natural but controlled conditions, and. conf irmation of the resulting infection. This survey was carried out over 2 cat tle grub seasons; it was possible to infest and reinfest the experimental a nimals and to monitor them by both parasitological methods and by an enzyme -linked immunosorbent assay. This method permitted the evaluation of the de velopment of anti-Hypoderma antibodies during the experiment. The experimen tal design also enabled us to establish the period of detectable H. lineatu m infection to be from December until the end of April with the largest num ber of warbles observed during March and April. After a pupal period of <30 d, adults were seen in April and May. Hypoderma bovis (de Geer) showed a d elay of 2 mo relative to H. lineatum (de Villiers). This study reports a co mpleted biological life cycle of Hypoderma spp. under controlled conditions in both natural and experimental environments.