Flea Presentation

1. Lecture outlines
 Different species of fleas
Structure of the fleas
 Adult (Head, Neck, abdomen)
Mouth part of a flea and feeding Mechanism
Eggs
Larva
Pupa
Behaviour and Ecology
 Life cycle
Pathogenesis
Vector Importance
 Transmission of Yersinia pestitis from rat to human
Public Health Significance
 Diagnosis
 Treatment, prevention and control
Fleas
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2. Family. Species (Vector) Common Name Host
Pulicidae Ctenocephalides canis Dog flea Dog & cat
Ct .felis Cat flea Cat & dog
Pulex irritants Human flea Man( Dog, cat, swine)
Xenopsylla cheopis Oriental rat flea, Tropical rat flea Human, Rodent, cats
Xenopsylla asiatica
Xenopsylla braziliensis
Xenopsylla bantorum
Echidnophoga gallinacea Stick tight flea of bird/Burrowing Flea Bird (Comb, wattles), Dog, Man
Tunga penetrans Jigger flea of human /sand flea /Chigoe
flea /Burrowing
Man (pig)
Spilopsyllus cuniculi Rabbit flea Rabbit (ear),
Dog and Cat
(Ear/pinna)
Ceratophyllidae Ceratophyllus gallinae Commonest poultry Flea / European
Hen flea
Poultry, (Man, Pet animal)
Ceratophyllus niger Western Chicken flea Chicken
Nosopsyllus faciatus Nothern Rat flea Rodent (Man and other animal).
Leptopsyllidae Leptopsylla segnis European mouse/House mouse flea
Ctenophthalmidae Stenoponia tripectinata
Order: Siphonaptera (Flea)
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3. Structure of a Flea
Adult
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4. Stylets/fascicle=
Two maxillary laciniae
+ Labrum epipharynx
Apyrase??
Cibrarial Pump
Pharyngeal pump
Feeding Mechanism Solenophages??
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6. Eggs Larva
Hatching spine,
Mandibular silk gland
Flea dirt
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7. Cocoon helps to camouflage it
Pupa
Exarate/True pupa
Head tubercle
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8. Behaviour and Ecology
Life cycle
Flea Pyramid
Holometabola
PPP: 30-75 days (optimum tem….upto
2 years (hot tem)
What about the L/C of burrowing flea?????
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9. Pathogenesis (In pets)
 Anaemia and Flea dirt
 Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD)
T penetrans on dog snout
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10.  In Poultry
Neosomy
Long barbed mouth part, aid in attachment
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11. Vector Importance
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12. Transmission of Yersinia pestis from Rat to Human
Blockage ProventiculusPlague bacilli partial blockage
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13. Tungiasis
Public Health Significance
Purpura pulicosa
Roseola pulicosaLecture on flea by Alim5/4/2014 13

14. Public Health Significance
 Annoying bite (Purpuria pulicosa and Roseola pulicosa)
Discomfort
Dermatitis/Allergic reaction
Painful lesion of skin, feet, toe (Tunga penetrans/burrowing flea)
I/H of tape worm
 Different disease
Plague( urban plague, rural/sylvatic wild rodent plague
/la peste/Black death
Murine Typhus (Rickettsia typhi)
Tungiasis
Diagnosis
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15. Laboratory Confirmation/ Species Identification
No comb/ctenidia with Genal and Pronatal comb
Spinopsyllus
Echidnophaga
Pulex
Xenopsylla
Ct. canis
Ct. felis
Nosopsyllus fasciatus
Ceratophyllus
With Pronatal comb only
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16. Treatment, Prevention and Control
Insecticide/
Pulicidess
Pulicidal
Shampooing
Flea repellent Flea collar
Dust bath in Poultry
Pour on
Cleaning (Flea Hot spot)Lecture on flea by Alim5/4/2014 16
Chemical used to kill fleas called Pulicides

17. Prepared by DR. Md. Abdul Alim
Assistant Professor
Department of Pathology and Parasitolgy, CVASU
PhD fellow, James Cook University, Australia
References
1. D.S., Kettle (2000). Medical and Veterinary Entomology, CAB International,2nd
edi,pp…
2. G.M.Urqhart., J.Armour., J.L.Duncan., F.W. Jennings., (1966). Veterinary
Parasitology, Black well Science Ltd.,2nd edi.pp:
3. D.D.Bowman (2009). Georgis’ Parasitology For Veterinarians, WB Saunders
Company, 9th edi.pp….
THANKS
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