Flies as Vectors of Disease: Advanced Pathogen Detection in Environmental Forensics in Malaysia

This study investigates the microbial communities present on the surface of filth flies collected from three ecologically distinct locations in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: an urban site (KLCC), a poultry farm, and a landfill. Filth flies are known vectors of pathogenic microorganisms and can serve as indicators of environmental microbial diversity and potential public health risks. Between August and September 2022, a total of 525 flies were collected, identified at the species level (Musca domestica and Chrysomya megacephala), and pooled by location for DNA and RNA extraction. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed to characterize the taxonomic composition and functional potential of the microbial communities, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microorganisms. The results of this study will contribute to a better understanding of fly-associated microbiomes in diverse environmental settings, highlight potential vectors for pathogen dissemination, and provide baseline data for microbial ecology and public health surveillance in Malaysia. These data will be valuable for researchers studying microbial diversity, environmental microbiology, vector biology, and the dynamics of host-associated microbial communities.