Abstract
BackgroundSmall mammals are important maintenance hosts of ectoparasites as well as reservoir hosts for many arthropod-borne pathogens. In Germany, only a few studies have investigated ectoparasite communities on small mammals in their natural habitats. The aim of this study was to assess the species diversity and parameters influencing the mean intensity and prevalence of macroscopically visible ectoparasites, such as fleas, predatory mites and ticks.MethodsA total of 779 small mammals and 3383 ticks were available from earlier investigations for the data analysis of the current study from three differently structured study sites. In addition, fleas and predatory mites were collected from the captured rodents and taxonomically identified. Regression analyses were conducted on the group (ticks/mites/fleas) and species levels using hurdle models for the abundance of ectoparasite groups and a negative binomial model for the abundance of species.ResultsNearly 90% of the small mammals analyzed were infested with ectoparasites, with an average of 7.3 specimens per host. Hosts were infested with up to six species of ectoparasites simultaneously. In total, 12 flea, 11 mite and three tick species were detected. Ticks were more prevalent than fleas or mites, with > 80% of the hosts in urban and forest areas hosting ticks and around 60% of hosts presenting fleas, and only 20–40% of hosts presenting mites. Polyparasitism had a statistically significant influence on the prevalence of the investigated tick, mite and flea species, with odds ratios of > 1.0. Trapping location, season and host characteristics had significant influences on some—but not all—of the investigated species.ConclusionsThe diversity of flea species was unexpectedly high and higher than that reported in comparable studies, which can be explained by the differently structured habitats and regions examined in this study. Polyparasitism was a key influencing factor and had a positive effect on the prevalence and/or abundance of the predominant tick, flea and mite species occurring on small mammals. Season, trapping location, host species and sex of the host species also had an influence on the prevalence and mean intensity of certain, but not all, ectoparasite species.Graphical
Highlights
Small mammals are important maintenance hosts of ectoparasites as well as reservoir hosts for many arthropod-borne pathogens
Apodemus flavicollis and A. agrarius were more frequently infested with two ectoparasite species than with one, with 64 A. flavicollis (25.9%) infested with one ectoparasite species and 75 (30.4%) infested with two species
To conclude, nearly 90% of small mammals were infested with ectoparasites with up to six different ectoparasite species found on one host simultaneously
Summary
Small mammals are important maintenance hosts of ectoparasites as well as reservoir hosts for many arthropod-borne pathogens. Small mammals serve as reservoirs for many different arthropod-borne pathogens and may play an important role in the maintenance. Dermacentor reticulatus is suggested to be the main vector for Rickettsia raoultii [8], and a sevenfold higher prevalence for R. raoultii was observed in M. glareolus infested with D. reticulatus than in M. glareolus not infested with D. reticulatus [7] Another recent study showed the occurrence of Rickettsia spp. in 11 different ectoparasite species, such as fleas, ticks and predatory mites [9]. Only a few studies examing the relationship between small mammals and the abundance and variety of ectoparasites, such as ticks, fleas and predatory mite communities, have been carried out in Europe [3, 9, 13, 14]. Only one study to date has investigated the variety of ectoparasite communities on small mammals in Germany [3]
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