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Parasitology > Fleas > Flashcards

Fleas Flashcards

1
Q

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

A

Animalia

Arthropoda

Insecta

Siphonaptera

Pulicidae

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2
Q

Wings

A

None

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3
Q

Legs

A

3 Pairs

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4
Q

Body shape

A

Laterally compressed

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5
Q

Exoskeleton

A

Heavily chitinised, hard to crush

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6
Q

What’s special about the legs of a flea?

A

Adapted for jumping with large coxae and strong claws

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7
Q

What’s unique about the third pair of legs?

A

Longer than anterior pairs

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8
Q

Divisions

A

Head, thorax, abdomen

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9
Q

How many segments does the abdomen have?

A

10

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10
Q

What is found on the 9th segment of the abdomen?

A

Sensillium or special sensory organ

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11
Q

What distinguishes the Echidnophaga genus?

A

Very short thoracic segments

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12
Q

What distinguishes the Ctenocephalides genus?

A

Presence of both genal and pronotal combs

Horizontal genal comb

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13
Q

What distinguishes the Pulex genus?

A

Absence of both genal and pronotal combs

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14
Q

What distinguishes the Spilosyllus genus?

A

Vertical genal comb

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15
Q
A

A: Genal comb

B: Pronotal comb

C: Antenna

D: Mouthparts

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16
Q
A

A: Antenna

B: Eye

C: Palps

D: Feeding tube

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17
Q

Another word for comb

A

Ctenidium

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18
Q

What are larvae recognised by?

A

Anal struts

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19
Q

Where is most of the flea’s life cycle spent?

A

Away from the host

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20
Q

Where are eggs laid?

A

Eggs are laid on the host and fall to the ground.

Or may be laid in dust and dirt.

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21
Q

How many eggs can a female lay at a time?

A

5-20

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22
Q

How many eggs can a female lay in a lifetime?

A

400-500

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23
Q

How many larval stages are there?

A

3

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24
Q

What do larvae feed on?

A

Detritus in soil, sand or in carpets

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25
Q

What follows the larval stages?

A

Pupal stages

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26
Q

How long is the entire life cycle?

A

3 weeks to months depending on temperature and humidity

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27
Q

How long can fleas live away from the host?

A

Months, particularly if humidity is high

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28
Q

What can stimulate pupae of some species to hatch?

A

Vibration

29
Q

Larval stages of one species develop subcutaneously. In what type of animal is this species found?

A

Dasyurid marsupials eg. Tasmanian devil

30
Q

In a flea population what percentage can be found on the host and the environment?

A

5% on the host, 95% on the environment

31
Q

What kind of parasites are fleas?

A

Obligate parasites that can remain on host (permanent) or spend time away from host (intermittent)

32
Q

How host specific are fleas?

A

Generally not host specific

33
Q

Which species is an exception to the host specificity rule?

A

Spilopsyllus cuniculi on rabbits

34
Q

How do fleas feed?

A

All are blood suckers, capillary feeders.

35
Q

What does the saliva contain to facilitate feeding?

A

Anticoagulant

36
Q

What is blood needed for?

A

Reproduction - maturation of ovaries

37
Q

What is the pathogenesis of fleas?

A
  • blood loss
  • irritation
  • hypersensitivity to their bites
    • causes flea bite dermatitis, summer dermatitis
  • intermediate hosts for cestodes and nematodes
  • some species carry bubonic plague
    • Yersinia pestis from rodent to man
38
Q

Two species of Ctenocephalides genus

A

Ctenocephalide Canis

Ctenocephalide Felis

39
Q

On what hosts do C.felis and C.canis occur?

A

Cats and dogs and a wide range of other hosts

40
Q

Which of the species out of C. felis and C. canis is by far the more common?

A

C. felis

41
Q

When is a Ctenocephalide flea problem most prominent and why?

A

Summer, life cycle stages in environment dependent on temperature for development

42
Q

Effect of Ctenocephalide fleas on man

A

Papular dermatitis

43
Q

Effect of Ctenocephalide fleas in dogs and cats

A
  • Flea bite dermatitis
    • Dog = summer dermatitis
    • Cats = Miliary eczema
44
Q

What occurs in flea bite dermatitis?

A
  1. Initial infestations sensitise animals
  2. Subsequent infestations cause Type 1 hypersensitivity reaction, incessant scratching and loss of hair at base of tail, inner and posterior thighs
  3. Saliva contains incomplete antigen which combines with dermal collagen to form a complete antigen
45
Q

When is flea bite dermatitis mainly seen in dogs?

A

5 months - 5 years of age

46
Q
A

A = C. Canis

B = C. Felis

47
Q

Identifying C. Canis

A

Head length less than twice height (rounder head)

Spine 1 of genal comb shorter than spine 2

48
Q

Identifying C. Felis

A

Head length twice height (elongated head)

Spine 1 of genal comb equal to spine 2

49
Q
A

Echidnophaga gallinacea

50
Q
A

Echidnophaga gallinacea

51
Q

Another name for Echidnophaga fleas

A

Stick-fast fleas

52
Q

What is the scientific name for the poultry stick-fast flea?

A

Echidnophaga gallinacea

53
Q

Where are E. gallinacea common?

A

Hot dry areas, common in western NSW and the Victorian mallee

54
Q

Where do E. gallinacea lay their eggs?

A

Flea burrows into the skin causing swellings that ulcerate and in which the flea lays its eggs.

55
Q

On what hosts do E. gallinacea occur?

A

Wide range of hosts other than poultry

Principle flea found on dogs and cats in Darwin

56
Q

Why are Echidnophaga fleas called stick-fast fleas?

A

Stay attached at single site

57
Q

On what animals do other species of Echidnophaga fleas occur on?

A

Native mammals

58
Q
A

Pulex irritans

59
Q

Pulex irritans

A

Human flea

60
Q

Pathogenesis of Pulex irritans

A

Vector of typhus

61
Q

Hosts of pulex irritans

A

Dogs, Humans, pigs

62
Q

How common is Pulex irritans

A

Uncommon on man in Australia but ‘plagues’ can occur in piggeries and poultry farms

63
Q
A

Spilopsyllus cunniculi

64
Q

Spilopsyllus cunniculi

A

Introduced European rabbit flea

65
Q

Why was the Spilopsyllius cunniculus introduced into Australia?

A

To facilitate transmission of myxomatosis

66
Q

Hosts

A

Rabbits

Also found occasionally on cats which have contact with wild rabbits (but generally won’t bite cats)

67
Q

What is unique about Spilopsyllius cunniculus?

A

Host specific flea

68
Q

How is the breeding in S. cunniculus females initiated?

A

Ingestion of hormones in the blood of pregnant rabbits

Parasitology (2 decks)

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