Pathogenic Bacteria Associated with Lucilia Sericata from Decomposing Carcasses: Forensic and Public Health Implications | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Medical Microbiology | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 01 July 2026 PDF (879.49 K) | ||
| Document Type: New and original researches in the field of Microbiology. | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejmm.2025.432102.1925 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Islam A.M.A. Younis1; Tarek M.Y. El-Sheikh1; Ahmed Z.I. Shehata1; Ahmed Mohamed Eid* 2 | ||
| 1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. | ||
| 2Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Blowflies, especially Lucilia sericata, are key to forensic entomology and may act as vectors of pathogenic bacteria. Exploring their microbial associations enhances understanding of both forensic and public health contexts. Objective: This study examined bacterial communities from a decomposing rabbit carcass and adult L. sericata to assess their forensic and epidemiological significance. Methodology: Carcass and fly samples were analyzed using selective culturing, biochemical tests, DNA barcoding, and VITEK-2 profiling. Diversity and similarity were evaluated using Shannon, Simpson, and Bray–Curtis indices. Results: Sixty-five bacterial isolates were identified (32 from the carcass, 33 from flies). Bacillus spp. predominated, alongside clinically relevant taxa (E. coli, S. typhi, S. dysenteriae, S. aureus, S. warneri, P. aeruginosa). Diversity was higher in the carcass (H′ = 1.42; 1–D = 0.70) than in flies (H′ = 1.09; 1–D = 0.58), with a Bray–Curtis similarity of 0.74 indicating strong overlap. Conclusion: Blowflies both mirror and disseminate postmortem bacterial communities, confirming their dual role as forensic indicators and public health vectors. Despite being based on a single carcass, the study underscores the importance of integrating microbial and entomological data in forensic and epidemiological investigations. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Forensic entomology; Pathogenic bacteria; Public health; Postmortem microbiome; Microbial diversity | ||
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