Field Association of Female Face Flies with Moraxella bovis, an Etiological Agent of Bovine Pinkeye123

Abstract
Females of Musca autumnalis De Geer were collected from blood baits proximate to cattle herds with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK or “pinkeye”). These flies were examined via colonization and fluorescent-antibody techniques to determine the presence of viable Moraxella bovis (Hauduroy). Of 5,314 flies tested during a 2-year period, less than 1% were positive carriers of the bacterium. Correlations calculated between data suggested that face fly contamination with M. bovis . was positively related to active infection in a herd but not significantly proportional to the total fly populations sampled. The face fly did not appear to constitute an abundant type of M. bovis dissemination for the herds and time frame tested.