Parasitic Skin Disease Flashcards
What is the identified agent for nodular dermatitis in canids in Southern Europe?
Straelensia cynotis, a trombidoid larval mite, was identidied as a cause of nodular dermatitis in dogs in Southern Europe.
What species of Ctenocephalides is the most common?
felis felis
The flea penetrates the epidermis with its ______
maxillae
In fleas, the ______ is inserted in the capillary vessel, allowing blood to be sucked by three pumps (one cibarian, two pharyndeal) though the feeding tube formed by the maxillae together.
epipharynx
In fleas, a salivary pump pushed saliva through the _____.
laciniae
The sialomes of cat and rat fleas are comprised of what components?
The enzymes families of phosphatases (inactive), CD-39-type tryptase, adenosine deaminases and esterase, as well as antigen 5 members and defensins
Fleas, in contrast to mosquitoes, has a sialome that is comprised of good portion of _______, none of which have a known function but they may act as inhibitors of hemostasis or inflammation.
small polypeptides
They are also unique in terms of the expansion of phosphatase family that appears to be deficient of enzyme activity and has an unknown function
The third pair of legs are used for jumping. Modifications of the hind leg include an enlarged muscular femur and an elastic protein called ______ in the integument.
resilin
Resilin is compressed during the flexion of the coxa in the metathorax, and then rapidly relaxed.
What is the name of the hedge hog flea?
Archaeopsylla erinacei
What are the two species of fleas on birds?
Echidnophaga gallinacean, Ceratiophyllus gallinae
What are the two species of fleas on rodents?
Xenopsylla cheopis, Nosopsyllus fasciatus
What are the 8 stages of the flea life cycle?
The flea has four life stages: egg, larva, pupa and, finally, adult. The speed of development depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment so growth to an adult flea can take just a few weeks to several months.
Describe the host phase of flea life cycle?
o The adult stage of both C.felis felis and C. canis lives permanently in the hair coat of its host.
o In normal conditions, when fleas are in the dog or cat, they walk.
o Fleas have a tendency to leave their host when the hosts temperature decreases or when the host-population is very high.
Describe early onset of blood feeding
o Once the adult (imago) has colonized a new host, it will take its first blood meal very rapidly.
o About 25% of cat fleas start to feed within 5 minutes of being free in the coat and about 97% have taken a blood meal within 1 hour
o Although C. canis takes its meal more slowly, 72.5% of fleas begin blood feeding within the hour.
Flea blood feeding and lifespan
o It is clearly established that blood-feeding is necessary for mating and laying viable eggs, the number of blood meals and their frequency remain unknown.
o It is thougth that fleas will continue to bite and have blood meals until they die.
o Their lifespan is considered to be 2-3 weeks.
First flea eggs
o Female fleas lay their first eggs between 24-36 hours after colonizing a host.
o Eggs are pearly white, oval with rounded ends and approximately 0.5mm long. They are laid in the coat and subsequently fall to the ground.
o Egg production reaches a peak (around 15-20 eggs per day) during the second and third week. It will continue to lay eggs until it dies.
o Egg production usually peaks during the night.
Describe the environmental phase and factors affecting egg and larval development
o Once on the ground, eggs require favorable environmental conditions (humidity and temperature) to develop further.
Ideal conditions are 70% humidity and 30c
o The environmental phase has a major implication in control because of the development of larval and pupal states and because pupae remain dormant in the environment for an extended period of time.
First Larval instars
o The first-instar larvae hatch from eggs in the immediate environment. They tend to move to the depth of the carpet and not move very far from where they hatched.
o They search for suitable food, particularly dried blood flea feces but also other debris including non-viable flea eggs.
Second Larval installs
The second instar tend to move away from carpets, making vacuuming a rather ineffective procedure, since it only removed 15-27% of the larvae.
However, regular vacuuming of pet resting places can remove 90% or more of flea effs as well as flea feces.
Pupal stage
o The third-instar larvae becomes a pupa encased within a cocoon formed out of carious bits of environmental debris stuck together.
o Pupae are often found in well-protected areas such as the back of carpets, skirting boards and cushion seams.
o Inside further imagos remain dormant for several months (“pupal window”) until stimulated to hatch by triggers such as vibrations, increased carbon dioxide levels or temperature.
o Pupae are resistant to freezing, desiccation, insecticides and insect development inhibitors.
Imago
o Once stimulated, imago tear open the cocoon probably as a consequence of agitated movements and jumps onto the first mobile, warm object = animal.
o The young, unfed adult is susceptible to adulticides and insect development inhibitors.
The unfed flea survives longer in the environmental than the fed fleas.
How long is the flea life cycle?
o The entire life cycle can be completed in 13 to 14 days under optimal conditions but can take up to 7-9 months.
How do you prevent a new flea life cycle from developing?
o Preventing a new life cycle would required killing all the adults in the first 24-36 hours of infection and/or applying an insect development inhibitor either to the adult or to the immature stages before pupa formation.
o Vacuuming is not very effective due to the mobility and positive geotaxis of the larvae.
Fleas are vectors for what diseases?
Bartonella, B. henselae, Rickettsia typhi, R. felis