Parasitology - Arthropod 1 Flashcards
Insects
3 body segments
6 legs
Egg, larva, pupa, adult
Ticks and mites
2 body segments
Larvae - 6 legs
Adults/nymphs - 8 legs
Egg, larva, nymph, adult
Simple vs complex life cycles
Simple: immature stages look like small adults
Complex: marked differences in morphology between stages
Flea (C. Felis) life cycle
Adults become permanent parasites to host
Females feed w immediate contact to host
Mate & lay eggs 24 hours later
Eggs (0.5mm) 6 days to hatch
Flea (C. Felis) life cycle - pupa
Hardest stage to kill, limited movement, stage can last for 6 months
Flea life cycle time frame
Egg hatching - 2 days
Larva - 6 days
Pupa - 6 days
TOTAL - 14 days
Flea population %
Eggs - 50%
Larvae - 35%
Pupae - 10%
Adult - 5%
What are fleas vectors for?
Tapeworms: diplyidiuym canium
Acanthocheilonema recondition
Bartonella henselae (cat scratch fever)
Other flea species
Rodent fleas: vector for Yersinia pestis
Stick tight flea: bird parasite
Order phthiraptera
Lice
Sucking - only in mammals
Biting - mammals & birds
Lice life cycle
Cycle all on host, eggs glued to hairs, 4 weeks
Why do lice populations increase during winter?
Thicker hair & body temp is favorable, close contact, stressed animals are more susceptible to lice
Lice clinical importance
SA: uncommon
EQ: uncommon but easy
LA: common
Birds: common in wild
Wild mammals: common
Key differences of flea & lice
Body- laterally / dorso-ventral compressed
Legs - jump / walking
Host - broad / narrow
Parasite - adult / all stages
Eggs - fall off / stuck to hairs
Immature - larvae / nymphs
Meta - complete / incomplete