ENTO 208 1st Edition Lecture 10 Outline of Lecture 9LiceI. CharacteristicsII. Lice Speciesa. Humansb. AnimalsIII. Broad importanceIV. TreatmentOutline of Lecture 10FleasI. General CharacteristicsII. AnatomyIII. Life CycleIV. Relevant SpeciesV. Importance of FleasVI. PlagueVII. Other Flea-borne diseaseVIII. Controlling fleasCurrent LectureFleas (Order Siphonaptera) General CharacteristicsWinglessObligatory ectoparasites of birds and mammalsAdaptations to living on a host:Dorso-laterally flattened - for weaving through hairSecondarily winglessHave lost compound eyesComplete metamorphosisImmature fleas in different environmentOnly adults feed on bloodNot very host-specificMajority live on wild rodentsOften on dogs and cats, less frequently on livestockAnatomy (image at bottom)These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best Used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.Flattened dorso-lateralyTarsal clawsLarge femur for jumpingHair/bristles help flea grab onto host when jumpingLife CycleLarvae feed on organic material (flea dirt)Pupae - pre-emergent adults in cocoon waiting for suitable host (can detect things like CO2 and vibrations)Generation time is about 1 year Video (cat flea)Considered one of the most medically important parasitesA cat infested with fleas can produce about 10,000 eggs a dayThe eggs are white and shiny Relevant flea speciesHuman flea (Pulex irritans)Patchy global distributionCat fleaMost common in USDog Flea Oriental rat flea (Invasive species in US; principle vector of plague and murine typhusSticktight fleaOften on chickens; angular headNorthern Rat fleaDomestic ratsEuropean mouse fleaOn the house mouse Importance of FleasPrimarily on cats and dogsIrritation - annoyance but not that dangerousBlood loss/ anemiaAllergies - response to saliva - sometimes dermatitusTransmit tapeworm to dogsCestode - eggs pass out dog feces and are consumed by larval flea PlagueAgent yersinia pestis (bacteria)Three forms:Bubonic plagueEnlarged lymph nodesSepticemic plagueBacteria enter blood; most severe formPneumonic plagueBacteria in lung; airborneTwo ecological formsUrban plague: domestic rats and leas in citiesWild-rodent plague (sylvatic plague): many species of wild rodents and small mammals; global distribution (especially western US and Africa) Other Flea-borne diseaseMurine typhis: Transmission from infected flea fecesGlobal distributionTularemia: Direct, tick-borne, flea-borneTungiasisTunga penetrans (chigoe, jigger, sand flea) fleas burrow into skinTropical and subtropical regions Controlling fleasTreating host is easy, the challenge is the environmentNumber of chemicals availableDifference for cats vs. Dogs (cats have thicker fur)Start with the safest optionSteam clean carpets (heat kills) followed by insect growth regulator
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