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Antibacterial properties of larval secretions of the blowfly, Lucilia sericata.

Kerridge A, Lappin-Scott H, Stevens JR

Medilarv Ltd. Innovation Centre, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4PS, U.K.

The antibacterial properties of secretions aseptically collected from larvae of the greenbottle fly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were examined. These investigations revealed the presence of small (<1 kDa) antibacterial factor(s) within the larval secretions, active against a range of bacteria. These include the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Streptococcus pyogenes and to a lesser extent the Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These secretions were shown to be highly stable as a freeze-dried preparation and, considering the activity against organisms typically associated with clinical infection, may be a source of novel antibiotic-like compounds that may be used for infection control and in the fight against MRSA.

Published 1 September 2005 in Med Vet Entomol, 19(3): 333-7.
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