Fleas Flashcards
What order do fleas belong to?
Siphonaptera
In general about fleas
Young arthropod froup
Obligate parasite
Blood feeders
Euryxenous e.g the cat flea may also feed on Hu and dogs
Stationary- but developing stages are in the environment
Vectors of rickettsia and bartonella
Development
Holometamorphosis
Adult— egg— larva— pupa
General morphology
Wingless
Muscly legs- for jumping
On head- palpus and antennae
Comb structures- head and thorax
How to differentiate gender
Males have complex arrangement at the rear (similar to lice)
Morph of the larvae
Hairy/fuzzy Have feeding mouth part Have antennae 13 body segments NO eyes NO legs Eat protein rich food
- beetle larvae: have legs and eyes
- fly larvae: no head, antennae or chewing mouthparts
Morph of the pupa
Silk coccoon
Can remain dormant for years and hatch when the conditions are favourable
Pulex sp
Humans
No comb
Ctenocephalides
Comb on head and thorax
Canis: has bumpier head and hairier tibial leg part compared to felis
Spilopsyllus cuniculi
Mating on young rabbits
Carry MYXOMATOSIS
Tunga penetrans= jigger
Humans
Female is buried in the skin- becomes very enlarged
Male- lives on the host
Causes lesions on palms of hands and feet
Adults can live in sand
Xenopsylla
Oriental rat flea
No comb
What are the diseases caused?
Dermatits- allergy to the bite and saliva
- in dog: wet, hot spots
- in cat: miliary dermatitis- alopecia
Bartonella Henselae= cat scratch disease
B. henselae lives in RBC’s of cats– flea eats blood– flea defecates the B. henselae– flea dirt is scratched by the cat– now lives under the claws– cat scratches nhuman
