Bovidae Research Articles

Diagnosis of pregnancy in Southern Lechwes (Kobus Leche) using a bovine assay for pregnancy-associated glycoprotein

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000206 EndHTML:0000004229 StartFragment:0000002452 EndFragment:0000004193 SourceURL:file://localhost/Volumes/NO%20NAME/000/Article%20PAG%20cobes%20final%202.1%20BL-CP-TR.doc Pregnancy diagnosis is an important part in reproduction management of wild ruminants involved in free-ranging and captive programs. The pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are a polymorphic family of placenta-expressed proteins, and released into maternal blood circulation where they can be assayed. These tests have been developed and validated in domestic species; PAGs have also been isolated in a few non domestic species of the Bovidae and Cervidae families. Assays have been used in many cervid species, but in very few wild Bovidae species,with high specificity. One hundred and twenty serum samples collected from 79 mature female Southern lechwes (Kobus leche) were tested using a commercial ELISA test (IDEXX Bovine Pregnancy Test Kit, IDEXX Europe BV, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands). Pregnancy was determined either at necropsy (n = 7), by transabdominal palpation in late pregnancy (n = 3), or by visualization of birth (n = 32). The other sera were controls from known non-pregnant females (n = 78). Following the range of use recommended by the manufacturer in domestic bovids, three false positive and two false negative results were identified; though this test gets the following values: sensitivity = 95.2%, specificity = 97.4%, positive predictive value = 95.2%, and negative predictive value = 97.4%. Using an ELISA validated in domestic species for the detection of PAGs appears to be a rapid, inexpensive and acurate test for pregnancy diagnosis in Southern lechwes. Nevertheless, more samples are needed to determine a better range of use of this test in this species.

Shape disparity of bovid (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) horn sheaths and horn cores allows discrimination by species in 3D geometric morphometric analyses.

The bony cranial structures of even-toed hoofed mammals are important for understanding ecology and behavior of ruminants. Horns, the cranial appendages of the family Bovidae, are covered in a layer of keratin that is often not preserved in the fossil record; however, this keratin sheath is intimately involved in the processes that influence horn shape evolution. To understand the relationship between these two components of horns, we quantified both core and sheath shape for four extant species using three-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses in separate, core- and sheath-specific morphospaces as well as a combined morphospace. We assessed correlations between the horn and sheath morphospaces using two-block partial least squares regression, a Mantel test of pairwise distances between species, and Procrustes ANOVA. We measured disparity in the combined morphospace as Procrustes distances between mean shapes of cores and sheaths within and between species and as Procrustes variance. We also tested whether core and sheath shapes could be discriminated by taxon with a canonical variate analysis. Results show that horn core and sheath morphospaces are strongly correlated. The differences in shape between a species' core and sheath were statistically significant, but not as great as those between the cores and sheaths of different species when close relatives were not considered, and core and sheath Procrustes variances are not significantly different within species. Cores and sheath shapes were highly identifiable and were assigned to the correct clade 93% of the time in the canonical variate analysis. Based on these tests, horn cores are distinguishable in geometric morphometric analyses, extending the possibility of using geometric morphometrics to study the ecology and evolution of bovid horns to the fossil record.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): ovine epididymitis (Brucella ovis).

Ovine epididymitis (Brucella ovis) has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of ovine epididymitis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of ovine epididymitis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to ovine epididymitis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, ovine epididymitis can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (c), (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The animal species to be listed for ovine epididymitis according to Article 8(3) criteria are mainly sheep and other species of the families Bovidae and Cervidae as susceptible and sheep and deer as reservoirs.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The animal species to be listed for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia according to Article 8(3) criteria are species of the family Bovidae as susceptible.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): contagious caprine pleuropneumonia.

Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to contagious caprine pleuropneumonia. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The assessment here performed on compliance with the criteria as in Section 1 of Annex IV referred to in point (a) of Article 9(1) is inconclusive. The animal species to be listed for contagious caprine pleuropneumonia according to Article 8(3) criteria are goats and other species of the family Bovidae as susceptible.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): Border disease.

Border disease has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of Border disease to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of Border disease according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species concerned by Border disease. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, Border disease can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (c), (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The animal species to be listed for Border disease according to Article 8(3) criteria are mainly sheep and other species of the family Bovidae as susceptible and reservoirs.

Fatal peste des petits ruminants disease in Chowsingha

This communication reports fatal Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) disease in Chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), a member of the subfamily Bovinae and family Bovidae captured in a Zoological Park. The animals showed clinical signs of acute respiratory disease with frothy nasal discharge (1-2days) and mortality of twenty animals (80%) within 48hr. Necropsy of dead Chowsingha showed haemorrhagic patches in trachea and severe congestion of lungs and ocular mucosa. There was no characteristic lesion in the intestine. Swabs from trachea and nasal tract along with tissue samples of spleen and lung from dead animals were found positive for PPR virus based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using H gene and partial N gene-specific primers. Sequence analysis of complete H gene and partial N gene confirmed the aetiological agent as PPR virus lineage IV. The identity of the Chowsingha tissues used for PPRV isolation was confirmed by the 12S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, and the amplified gene was analysed identically to the Chowsingha mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene. The present information of PPR in Chowsingha is the first report of PPRV lineage IV causing cross-species fatal disease in subfamily bovinae and family Bovidae. The acute manifestation of the disease indicates high susceptibility of this vulnerable wild bovid species to PPR lineage IV. This report extends host range and demands enhanced surveillance among subfamily bovinae to strengthen PPR eradication programme.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD).

Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of BVD to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of BVD according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to BVD. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, BVD can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria as in Sections 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The assessment here performed on compliance with the criteria as in Section 3 of Annex IV referred to in point (c) of Article 9(1) is inconclusive. The animal species to be listed for BVD according to Article 8(3) criteria are mainly species of the families Bovidae, Cervidae and Camelidae as susceptible species and several mammalian species as reservoirs.

Examining the use of Amazon's Mechanical Turk for edge extraction of the occlusal surface of fossilized bovid teeth.

In order to reconstruct environments associated with Plio-Pleistocene hominins in southern Africa, researchers frequently rely upon the animals associated with the hominins, in particular, animals in the Family Bovidae. Bovids in southern Africa are typically identified by their teeth. However, identifying the taxon of a bovid tooth is challenging due to various biasing factors. Furthermore, inaccurate identification of fossil bovids can have significant consequences on the reconstructed paleoenvironment. Recent research on the classification of bovid fossil teeth has relied on using elliptical Fourier analysis to summarize the shape of the outline of the occlusal surface of the tooth and the resulting harmonic amplitudes. Currently, an expert in the field must manually place landmarks around the edges of each tooth which is slow and time consuming. This study tests whether it is possible to crowdsource this task, while maintaining the necessary level of quality needed to perform a statistical analysis on each tooth. Amazon Mechanical Turk workers place landmarks on the edge of the tooth which is compared to the performance of an expert in the field. The results suggest that crowdsourcing the digitization process is reliable and replicable. With the technical aspects of digitization managed, researchers can concentrate on analyzing and interpreting the data.

Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No2016/429): paratuberculosis.

Paratuberculosis has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on the eligibility of paratuberculosis to be listed, Article 9 for the categorisation of paratuberculosis according to disease prevention and control rules as in Annex IV and Article 8 on the list of animal species related to paratuberculosis. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collection and compilation, expert judgement on each criterion at individual and, if no consensus was reached before, also at collective level. The output is composed of the categorical answer, and for the questions where no consensus was reached, the different supporting views are reported. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. According to the assessment performed, paratuberculosis can be considered eligible to be listed for Union intervention as laid down in Article 5(3) of the AHL. The disease would comply with the criteria in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of Annex IV of the AHL, for the application of the disease prevention and control rules referred to in points (c), (d) and (e) of Article 9(1). The animal species to be listed for paratuberculosis according to Article 8(3) criteria are several species of mammals and birds as susceptible species and some species of the families Bovidae, Cervidae and Leporidae as reservoirs.

Morphological and Structural Investigations of Egyptian Water Buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) Sertoli Cells

Buffaloes are essential part of the economy in many countries and provide sustainable food in addition to being working animals. Inefficiency in reproduction has become problematic in recent years due to a number of factors and although much research concentrates on the female, very little is known about the male buffalo reproductive system. To address this deficiency in the literature, testes were obtained from 20 clinically healthy water buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) bulls aged 3 years old. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the Sertoli cells were columnar to triangle shaped with many processes. In the middle portion of the seminiferous tubules, the Sertoli cell had two types of processes with sheet like and slender cord like appearances. The sheet like processes had simple smooth margins originating from Sertoli cells, surrounding the surfaces of spermatogonia and spermatocytes. The slender cord like processes formed networks around other spermatogenic cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the Sertoli cells contained a large irregular shaped nucleus with deep nuclear membrane indentations, few mitochondria, aggregates of ribosomes and few rough endoplasmic reticulum which were observed within the indentations. Each nucleus contained a multivesicular nuclear body, containing vesicles, tubules and ribosome like dense structures. The work herein describes the structure and location of key reproductive cells within the water buffalo. Understanding the features of the male reproductive system is essential in order to advance studies into the reproductive decline of this species and the Bovidae family.

Malignant Catarrhal Fever in Indonesia and Its Control Strategy

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is an immunoproliferative and lethal disease of many species of the order Artiodactyla (such as families Bovidae, Cervidae and Suidae) caused by a member of the MCF virus (MCFV) group belongs to the genus Macavirus in the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. There are two types of MCF i.e. Wildebeest-Associated MCF (WA-MCF) which is caused by Alcelaphine Herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1) with wildebeest as reservoir animal; and Sheep-Associated MCF (SA-MCF) which is caused by Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) with sheep and goats as reservoir animals. AlHV-1 virus has already been isolated whereas OvHV-2 has not been isolated so that vaccines are not yet available. Both types cannot be differentiated by clinical and pathological findings. This disease was previously diagnosed based on the epidemiological information and clinicopathological findings, but now it can be diagnosed by using molecular biological tests. This paper describes the epidemiology of MCF virus, MCF cases in Indonesia and efforts to control this disease. In Indonesia, SA-MCF cases have been reported almost in all provinces as endemic as well as epidemic nature. Separation of reservoir animal with susceptible species, "producing" a SA-MCF virus free sheep and attempt to develop a recombinant vaccine against SA-MCF is the main control strategy that can be suggested.

Patterns of selectivity in introductions of mammal species worldwide

Humans have an extremely long history of transporting and introducing mammal species outside their native geographic range. The characteristics of the species introduced (taxonomy, life-history, ecology, environment) can all influence which traits are available (and selected) for establishment, and subsequent invasive spread. Understanding the non-randomness in species introductions is therefore key to understanding invasions by alien species. Here, we test for selectivity in the identities and traits of mammal species introduced worldwide. We compiled and analysed a comprehensive database of introduced mammal species, including information on a broad range of life history, ecological, distributional and environmental variables that we predicted to differ between introduced and non-introduced mammal species. Certain mammal taxa are much more likely to have been introduced than expected, such as Artiodactyls in the families Bovidae and Cervidae. Rodents and bats were much less likely to have been introduced than expected. Introduced mammal species have significantly larger body masses, longer lifespans and larger litter sizes than a random sample of all mammal species. They also have much larger native geographic ranges than expected, originate from significantly further north, from cooler areas, and from areas with higher human population densities, than mammal species with no recorded introductions. The traits and distributions of species help determine which have been introduced, and reflect how the evolutionary history of mammals has resulted in certain species with certain traits being located in the way of human histories of movement and demands for goods and services. The large amount of unexplained variation is likely to relate to the intrinsically stochastic nature of this human-driven process.

Recombination correlates with synaptonemal complex length and chromatin loop size in bovids-insights into mammalian meiotic chromosomal organization.

Homologous chromosomes exchange genetic information through recombination during meiosis, a process that increases genetic diversity, and is fundamental to sexual reproduction. In an attempt to shed light on the dynamics of mammalian recombination and its implications for genome organization, we have studied the recombination characteristics of 112 individuals belonging to 28 different species in the family Bovidae. In particular, we analyzed the distribution of RAD51 and MLH1 foci during the meiotic prophase I that serve, respectively, as proxies for double-strand breaks (DSBs) which form in early stages of meiosis and for crossovers. In addition, synaptonemal complex length and meiotic DNA loop size were estimated to explore how genome organization determines DSBs and crossover patterns. We show that although the number of meiotic DSBs per cell and recombination rates observed vary between individuals of the same species, these are correlated with diploid number as well as with synaptonemal complex and DNA loop sizes. Our results illustrate that genome packaging, DSB frequencies, and crossover rates tend to be correlated, while meiotic chromosomal axis length and DNA loop size are inversely correlated in mammals. Moreover, axis length, DSB frequency, and crossover frequencies all covary, suggesting that these correlations are established in the early stages of meiosis.

Unique Bacteria Community Composition and Co-occurrence in the Milk of Different Ruminants

Lactation provides the singular source of nourishment to the offspring of mammals. This nutrition source also contains a diverse microbiota affecting the development and health of the newborn. Here, we examined the milk microbiota in water deer (Hydropotes inermis, the most primitive member of the family Cervidae), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus, the oldest semi-domesticated cervid), and the dairy goat (Capra aegagrus, member of the family Bovidae), to determine if common milk microbiota species were present across all three ruminant species. The results showed that water deer had the highest bacterial diversity, followed by reindeer, and then goat. Unifrac distance and correspondence analyses revealed that water deer harbored an increased abundance of Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp., while milk from reindeer and goat was dominated by unclassified bacteria from the family Hyphomicrobiaceae and Bacillus spp., respectively. These data indicate significant differences in the composition of milk-based bacterial communities. The presence of Halomonas spp. in three distinct co-occurrence networks of bacterial interactions revealed both common and unique features in milk niches. These results suggest that the milk of water deer and reindeer harbor unique bacterial communities compared with the goat, which might reflect host microbial adaptation caused by evolution.

Yak (Bos Grunniens) Sperm Nuclei Morphology, Morphometry and DNA Content

The aim of this study was to describe the morphology, morphometry and determine the DNA content of yak sperm nuclei (Bos grunniens). Nuclear morphology observations were performed using light microscopy on slides stained with Feulgen reaction. Abnormalities percentages were determined: pyriform (1.2%), globose (0.2%), small (0.2%), elongated (0.1%). Morphometric measurements were made from digitized images of sperm nuclei stained with the Feulgen reaction. Mean values and standard deviations were obtained: area 21.98 ± 2.60 μm2, length 7.34 ± 0.33 μm, width 3.78 ± 0.27 μm, perimeter 88 ± 19.26 μm, roundness 1.27 ± 0.04, elongation 1.95 ± 0.11 and equivalent diameter 5.28 ± 0.27 μm. According to our knowledge this is the first time that haploid DNA content is determined. In this species 3.42 pg value that was similar to that measured in other species of the family Bovidae and other higher mammals.

Cytogenetic and Molecular Diagnostics of XX/XY Chimerism in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats – A Review

Abstract Animal cell chimerism denotes the presence of two or more cell lines of different genetic origin. The most common form of chimerism, which occurs spontaneously in mammals, is the presence of two or more cell populations in animals derived from dizygotic twin or multiple pregnancies. The aim of this review is to present extensive information on XX/XY chimerism in cattle, sheep and goats from the Bovidae family. Additionally, it will discuss a methodology for a quick and accurate diagnosis of cell chimerism and make an analysis of cells obtained from gonads of animals derived from twin pregnancies which underwent an exchange of hematopoietic tissue as a result of anastomoses. The studies reviewed here led the authors to conclude that XX/XY chimerism is generally undesirable in livestock breeding. Females (freemartins) are infertile, whereas in male carriers of chimerism, the impact of this abnormality on sperm parameters is still under discussion, therefore every case of different-sex twin or multiple births should be analyzed individually.

Anatomical and histological characteristic of the tongue and tongue mucosa linguae in the cattle-yak (Bos taurus × Bos grunniens)

This study presents the first definitive anatomical description of the tongue and lingual papillae of the cattleyak. Data on tongues from 12 healthy cattle-yaks were collected. The results show that five types of papillae were identifiable on the tongue surface of the cattle-yak. Among these, three types were mechanical papillae (filiform, conical, and lenticular), and two types were gustatory papillae (vallate and fungiform). Some morphological features of the cattle-yak tongue were similar to those of domestic ruminants, but the lingual prominence was higher and more developed. For example, more mechanical papillae were present and they were covered by a thicker, keratinized epithelium, the conical papillae possibly perform an immune function, the fungiform papillae have more mucussecreting pores, and the sublingual glands were more developed. This research will provide a further and detailed source of morphological information about the cattle-yak that is currently lacking in species-specific studies on the morphology of the Bovidae family.

Computational Molecular Analysis of the Sequences of BMP15 Gene of Ruminants and Non-Ruminants

Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) super family that is expressed by oocytes and plays key roles in granulosa cell development and fertility in animal. This study investigated the molecular genetic variation of BMP15 gene of some selected mammalian species with a view to providing relevant genetic information for breeding and selection programmes in the studied species using computational methods. A total of thirty seven (37) BMP15 nucleotide sequences comprising goats (18), sheep (6), cattle (6), swine (4) and chicken (3) were retrieved from the GenBank. Sequence alignment, translation and comparison of the BMP15 gene of the various species were done with ClustalW. High degree of polymorphism of BMP15 gene was observed among the studied species. The significant value (P bovidae family (goat, sheep and cattle). The present information could guide future efforts involving selection of markers of fecundity to improve genetically livestock species in Nigeria.

Biodivesity and importance of hippoboscids infection in cervids

The present paper focuses on three species belonging to the family Hippoboscidae: Hippobosca equina, Lipoptena cervi and L. fortisetosa – haematophagus ectoparasites typical of cervids. In Europe, the forest flies (H. equina) are observed mainly in horses and cattle, but the primary host of this parasite is the red deer (Cervus elaphus). The host group of deer keds Lipoptena sp. include different ruminant species belonging to Cervidae (moose, red deer, sika deer, fallow deer, roe deer and maral) and Bovidae family (mouflon, european bison, cattle, sheep and goat). Furthermore, some species of carnivores (European badger, dog and red fox) can be accidental hosts. The presence of adult hippoboscid flies in the environment shows strong seasonality. One or two generations of H. equina occurs from May to October. The alate forms of univoltine Lipoptena cervi and probably multivoltine L. fortisetosa appear from August to September, and from June to September, respectively. During warm autumns, both species can be observed in late October, or even November. Hippobosca equina and Lipoptena cervi are native species, unlike the foreign L. fortisetosa. This Asian species was noted in Europe for the first time in the 1960s, and has rapidly spread in numerous countries. The most probable way of L. fortisetosa introduction to Europe was translocation via host (probably sika deer), or natural dispersion throughout Eurasia. Therefore L. fortisetosa should be treated as an alien invasive species in Poland and Europe. Interest in these three neglected dipteran species has increased after reports of their veterinary and medical importance. All these parasite species are able to attack humans. Bites of these insects are considered painful, cause skin lesions with the presence of characteristic persistent pruritic papules, and, in extreme cases, may result in an anaphylactic reaction. Hippoboscids can play a role in the transmission of bacterial pathogens, including Anaplasma and Bartonella genera, dangerous for humans and animals. Permanent and intensive attacks on humans, during the seasonal mass occurrence of these parasites, can hinder forestry work, as well as harvesting, recreation, and hunting activities in forested areas.