According to DNA analysis, it seems that flies (the house fly and the blowfly) have 600 types of bacteria and they’re all different!
The bacteria are linked with many illnesses such as stomach bugs, blood poisoning and pneumonia, all being a different type of infection.
How Do Flies Spread Bacteria?
Just by taking a few steps, a fly spreads live bacteria. We all know that flies spread pathogens, but we didn’t know how much of it was actually a proven fact.
So, scientists from the Penn State University have started a research and proved it. They’ve analyzed DNA from the bodies and the insides of house flies and blowflies and have discovered that together they carry more than 600 types of bacteria.
The common house fly has 351 types of bacteria and the blowfly which is present in warmer climates have 316 bacteria.
Researchers have published their study in the journal Scientific Reports. A co-researcher, Prof Bryant, stated that public health officials should consider these flies a cause in ‘rapid transmission of pathogens in outbreak situations’.
He also added that after we find out about these facts we will surely reconsider eating food that have been sitting out at a picnic.
Flies Might be Used as Bionic Drones
But flies have potential uses in finding microbes by being sent into tight spaces. The research director at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Stephan Schuster has a different point of view.
He said that they could be used as ‘autonomous bionic drones into even the smallest spaces and crevices and, upon being recaptured, inform about any biotic material they have encountered’.
So, even though house flies have gathered human, animal and plant diseases, they can also help scientists by becoming small bionic drones.
But, as you’ve seen them fly around your garbage, feces, dead animals and then near your food, it’s normal to feel disgusted when you see them around.
