Lecture 8: Flea Infestations

Question 1

Siphonaptera are

Answer 1

Fleas

Question 2

Fleas (siphonaptera): morphology, mouthparts, level of host specificity

Answer 2

Wingless, laterally flattened
Females larger than males
Piercing sucking mouthparts
Obligate ectoparasites of mammals and birds
Not very host specific —> preferred hosts

Question 3

Fleas: life cycle (what kind of metamorphosis)

Answer 3

Eggs laid in host nest
Holometabolous/complete metamorphosis —> 3 larval instars, pupae in cocoons
2-4 weeks for 1 generation

Question 4

Fleas: transmission

Answer 4

Contact with infested hosts and fomites

Question 5

Fleas degree of attachment to host: 4 groups/types

Answer 5

Nidicolous = live in host’s nest and visit host only to feed
Primarily live on host’s body
Sticktight = mated females use mouthparts to permanently attach to host
Chigoe = mated females embedded within host’s skin

Question 6

Fleas most commonly associated with what 2 species

Answer 6

Cats
Dogs

Question 7

Diagnosis of fleas: detection of (3)

Answer 7

Adults on host
Adults or larvae from bedding debris
Flea feces = place on wet paper towel and ID red spots

Question 8

Tanoxomic ID of fleas

Answer 8

70% ethanol

Question 9

Treatment of host: fleas (4)

Answer 9

Adulticides
Insect growth regulators to disrupt development
Combo of 2 above
Physical removal from host

Question 10

Fipronil, selamectin, pyrethrins are examples of what kind of flea treatment

Answer 10

Adulticides

Question 11

Methoprene, luferunon are examples of what kind of flea treatment

Answer 11

Insect growth regulators

Question 12

Environmental control of fleas: indoors

Answer 12

Vacuum infested areas
Wash bedding
Apply Adulticides and insect growth regulators

Question 13

Environmental control of fleas: outdoors

Answer 13

Trim trees, shrubs and grass
Insecticides in shaded microhabitats
Collect/destroy infested bedding or poultry litter

Question 14

Echidnophaga gallinacea: generic name, species affected, where found, predilection, can cause, treatment

Answer 14

Sticktight flea
Southeastern US, tropics
Poultry, wild birds
Non feathered skin on head, comb, watttles
Blindness
Physically remove, topical pyrethrin (Adulticide)

Question 15

Ceratophyllus species (2)

Answer 15

C. Niger
C. Galinae

Question 16

What kind of attachment method do Ceratophyllus species use

Answer 16

Nidicolous

Question 17

Ceratophyllus niger: generic name, where found, who it bites

Answer 17

Western chicken flea
Western North America
Humans

Question 18

Ceratophyllus gallinae: generic name, where found

Answer 18

European chicken flea
Northern US

Question 19

Where most fleas are found on dogs and cats (3)

Answer 19

Tailhead
Neck
Flanks

Question 20

Ctenocephalides species: morphology, 2 species affected

Answer 20

Genal and pronotal combs
Dogs and cats

Question 21

2 species of ctenocephalides

Answer 21

Ctenocephalides felis
Ctenocephalides canis

Question 22

Ctenocephalides felis: generic name, important for transmission of (2)

Answer 22

Cat flea
Bubonic plague, tapeworm diphylidium Caninum

Question 23

What is the most common flea of dogs and cats

Answer 23

Ctenocephalides felis (Cat flea)

Question 24

Echidnophaga gallinacea affects what species (3)

Answer 24

Dogs
Cats
Poultry

Question 25

Pulex species: what kind of attachment to host, vectors for what

Answer 25

Nidicolous Bubonic plague

Question 26

2 pulex species

Answer 26

Pulex irritans Pulex simulans

Question 27

Pulex irritans: generic name

Answer 27

Human flea

Question 28

Pulex simulans: 3 species affected

Answer 28

Wild mammals, rodents, opossums

Question 29

Ctenocephalides felis: species affected, how transmitted

Answer 29

Domestic rabbits, rodents, ferrets Infested dogs and cats

Question 30

Common flea species that infest domestic rabbits (3)

Answer 30

Spilopsyllus cuniculi Cediopsylla simplex Echidnophaga gallinacea

Question 31

Can you treat flea infestations on rabbits with fipronil

Answer 31

NO

Question 32

What kind of attachment do S. Cuniculi and C. Simplex use

Answer 32

Nidicolous

Question 33

2 flea species that infest wild rodents

Answer 33

Xenopsylla cheopis Nosopsyllus fasciatus

Question 34

X. Cheopis and N. Fasciatus: type of attachment to host

Answer 34

Nidicolous

Question 35

What disease is transmitted by X. Cheopis and N. Fasciatus

Answer 35

Bubonic plague

Question 36

What flea species infests goats, sheep, cattle and equids

Answer 36

Ctenocephalides felis

Question 37

What 4 flea species affect ungulates (swine, goats, sheep, cattle, equids)

Answer 37

Ctenocephalides felis Pulex species Echidonphaga gallinacea Tunga species

Question 38

Tunga species: generic name, where found, lesions cause what

Answer 38

Chigoes Tropical Latin America and Africa Affect gait, mastitis and agalactia