Tabanid spiroplasmas from France : characterization, ecology and experimental study

Abstract

During 1989 and 1990, tabanid flies were collected from two different areas in Western France and assayed for spiroplasmas. From Central Britanny 62 flies of 9 different species yielded 20 spiroplasma isolates belonging to 6 different serogroups : VIII, XIV, XXIII, HYOS, TABS 1, TAAS. From Atlantic biotopes 81 flies of three different species yielded 58 isolates belonging mainly to serogroup IV, but also TABS 1, HYOS and XIV. All the 78 French isolates were able to multiply in vitro at 37° C.