Flea Ctenocephalides Research Articles

Molecular detection of Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., and Bartonella spp. in dogs treated at a veterinary teaching clinic in Peru

In recent years, vector-borne diseases have become widespread throughout the world and affect the health of humans and domestic animals. These diseases spread to areas where their primary vectors, fleas and ticks, thrive, particularly in tropical and subtropical climate regions, providing ideal conditions for their proliferation. The growing closeness between people and their pets increases the likelihood of bites from these ectoparasites, which represents a latent zoonotic risk. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the presence of Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Bartonella spp. in dogs treated at the Small Animal Clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, located in Lima, Peru. Blood samples from 214 dogs were molecularly analyzed for hemopathogen detection. The results revealed prevalences of 2.6 % (6/214) for Anaplasma platys, 5.14 % (11/214) for Ehrlichia canis, and 0.46 % (1/214) for Bartonella rochalimae. No statistically significant relationship was found between the animal infection and the age, sex, breed, presence of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) and ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), and locality. This study reported molecularly for the first time the presence of A. platys, E. canis, and B. rochalimae in dogs from Lima city, and demonstrates the occurrence of zoonotic pathogens in pets treated at the veterinary clinic.

Ectozoans of dogs and cats

The purpose of the study is to analyze the species composition and distribution of ectoparasites of dogs and cats on the territory of the Russian Federation. Research objectives: to study the epizootic situation regarding ectoparasites of dogs and cats on the territory of the Russian Federation. Ectoparasites of dogs and cats are widespread in the Russian Federation and pose the greatest danger as carriers of pathogens of infectious and invasive diseases. Depending on the region, the species composition and abundance of ectoparasites varies significantly. Thus, in Moscow, aphanipterosis (46–62%), otodectosis in cats (34–38%) and demodicosis in dogs (39%) were more often recorded. When examining dogs in Tyumen with diseases of the skin and hair, skin diseases of parasitic etiology were recorded in 33.86% of all examined animals. Aphanipteriosis was detected more often – 28.55%, otodectosis – 21.9%, flea allergic dermatitis – 14.65%, cheyletiosis – 13.2%, demodicosis – 12.6%, sarcoptic mange – 9.1%. A study of dogs and cats in Novosibirsk identified 6 types of parasites: Ctenocephalides canis, Otodectes cynotis, Demodex canis, Notoedres cati, Sarcoptes canis and Cheyletiella jascuri. Among cats and dogs. the most common were: aphanipterosis 4.8%, otodectosis 1.9%, demodicosis 0.23%, notoedrosis 0.14%, sarcoptic mange 0.09% and cheyletiellosis 0.3%. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, dogs and cats were diagnosed with infestation of two types of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis, C. canis), one type of lice-eater (Trichodectes canis), in addition, the following were found on the animals’ bodies: dog louse (Linognathus setosus), ixodid ticks Dermacentor reticulates, D. marginatus and I. ricinus. Thus, aphanipterosis (4.78–62.0%) and demodicosis (2.52–39.0%) are more often recorded in dogs; trichodectosis (0.64–4.2%) and ixodid ticks (9.75%) are less common. –18.0%), sarcoptic mange (1.0–9.1%), otodectosis (0.17–1.94%), and in cats – otodectosis (34–63%), notoedrosis (0.31–8.9%) and cheyletiellosis (0.27%).

Insecticidal and Repellent Activity of Essential Oils from Copaifera reticulata, Citrus paradisi, Lavandula hybrida and Salvia sclarea Against Immature and Adult Stages of Ctenocephalides felis felis.

The flea Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), parasitizes dogs and cats globally, acting as a vector for various pathogens affecting both animals and humans. Growing interest in environmentally friendly, plant-based products prompted this study. The aim of the study was to determine the chemical composition of essential oils (EOs) from Copaifera reticulata, Citrus paradisi, Lavandula hybrida and Salvia sclarea, assessing their insecticidal and repellent properties, determining lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC90), and evaluating residual efficacy in vitro against Ctenocephalides felis felis. Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detector analyzed EO composition. In vitro tests involved preparing EO solutions at various concentrations. Ten specimens from each life stage (egg, larva, pupa, adult) were used for insecticidal activity assessment. Adulticidal activity was assessed using 10cm2 filter paper strip, each treated with 0.200mL of the test solution. Immature stages activities were evaluated using 23.76cm2 discs of the same filter paper, each treated with 0.470mL of the test solution. Mortality percentage was calculated using (number of dead insects × 100) / number of incubated insects. Probit analysis calculated LC50 values with a 95% confidence interval. Major EO constituents were β-caryophyllene (EOCR), linalool (EOLH), linalyl acetate (EOSS), and limonene (EOCP). LC50 values were obtained for all stages except for the essential oil of C. paradisi. All oils showed repellent activity at 800μg/cm2. OECR exhibited greater residual efficacy. Each EO demonstrated superior insecticidal activity against specific C. felis felis stages.

Influence of egg density on larval development and adult body size of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis).

Fleas (Siphonaptera) are holometabolous insects with larval and adult stages that exhibit vastly different ecologies from each other. Adult fleas are parasitic and feed exclusively on the blood of a vertebrate host, whereas flea larvae do not live on hosts and consume dried faecal blood from adult fleas. Because flea larvae rely on adult flea faeces for food, excrement and eggs must fall in the same location; thus, larval density is likely high in these restricted habitats. However, the influence of larval density on the subsequent adult stage has not been examined. In the present study, we utilized egg density to investigate density-dependent effects on larval development and adult body size in the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis Bouché) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Specifically, eggs were collected to create three different larval densities (n = 50, 100 and 150 per 56.7 cm2), and hatched larvae from all groups were fed an excess amount of adult faecal pellets. Larval development was measured by recording the proportion of eggs that developed to the pupal stage and the proportion of eggs that reached adulthood (eclosion). The body size of eclosed adults was quantified for both sexes using head length and length of the total body. We found that the number of eggs had no effect on the proportion of larvae that pupated or the proportion of larvae that eclosed; however, higher egg densities resulted in larger body sizes for both sexes. Overall, these data yield significant insight into how the ecology of larval fleas impacts the biology of the resultant adults.

Use of drug in the form of spray based on Flumethrin, Moxidectin and Pyriproxyfen against entomosis in small domestic animals

The purpose of the research is to study the efficacy of a Flumethrin-, Moxidectin and Pyriproxyfen-based spray against entomosis in dogs and cats.Materials and methods. The therapeutic efficacy of the multicomponent spray against entomosis of cats and dogs was evaluated in the Podolsk Experimental Production Base of the VNIIP – FSC VIEV on 100 animals naturally infected with fleas Ctenocephalides spp. (20 cats and 20 dogs), Linognathus setosus (20 dogs), chewing lice Felicola subrostratus (20 cats) and Trichodectes canis (20 dogs). The animals were divided into experimental and control groups of 10 animals each. The experimental dogs and cats were given the drug topically with a bottle pump directed to the skin and fur from 20–25 cm, treating the entire body of the animal at a dose of 3–6 pumps per 1 kg of animal weight, and the control animals were not given the drug. The animals were observed for 60 days after a single dose of the drug; clinical examination was performed before and at 24, 48 hours and 5, 30 and 60 days after the start of the experiment.Results and discussion. The examination of the skin and coat of some experimental animals infected with ectoparasites found single ectoparasite imago at 24 hours after treatment. At 48 hours and on day 5, 30 and 60 of the experiment, all animals treated once with the drug were free from ectoparasites, which was evidenced by clinical studies. The study results showed that the study drug had high therapeutic efficacy against ctenocephalidosis, linognathosis, and trichodectosis in dogs and cats.

A case of mistaken identity: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and reinvestigation of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. infection in Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea)

Background Feline-associated hemotropic Mycoplasma (hemoplasmas) are believed to be transmitted by two primary mechanisms: (1) direct transmission via fighting and (2) vector-borne transmission by the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). While the efficiency of transmission by C. felis appears low, most manuscripts focus on the prevalence of hemoplasmas in wild-caught fleas and report either a very low (< 3%) or a high (> 26%) prevalence. Therefore, we aimed to assess the influence of sample processing and PCR methods on C. felis hemoplasma infection prevalence. MethodsA systemic review of PubMed articles identified 13 manuscripts (1,531 fleas/flea pools) that met the inclusion criteria (performed PCR for >1 hemoplasma on C. felis collected from cats). Risk of bias was assessed utilizing the ROBINS-E tool. Meta-analysis performed in R of these manuscripts found that not washing samples and a common set of 16S rRNA primers first published in Jensen et al. 2001 were associated with increased hemoplasma prevalence. To evaluate the influence of washing on newly collected fleas, we assessed the hemoplasma status of 20 pools of 5 C. felis each, half of which were washed and half not washed.ResultsFlea washing did not influence the detection of hemoplasma but instead amplified Spiroplasma. To assess non-specific amplification with the Jensen et al. 2001 primers, 67 C. felis samples (34% previously reported hemoplasma infected) were subject to PCR and sequencing. By this method, hemoplasma was detected in only 3% of samples. In the remaining “hemoplasma infected” fleas, PCR amplified Spiroplasma or other bacteria. ConclusionsTherefore, we concluded that hemoplasma infection in C. felis is rare, and future flea prevalence studies should sequence all positive amplicons to validate PCR specificity. Further investigation of alternative methods of feline-associated hemoplasma transmission and the ability of C. felis to maintain hemoplasma infection is necessary.Graphical

Effectiveness of modern antiparasitic animal collars

Despite the successes achieved in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases in companion animals, the issue of developing and implementing innovative, highly effective antiparasitic agents in veterinary practice is still relevant today. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of modern antiparasitic collars for dogs and cats in the prevention and treatment of ectoparasitic infections. The antiparasitic agents used in the experiments were ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for cats’, ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Healthy Pet, Oberig’, ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for dogs’, and ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Compliment, Oberig’. The active ingredient in the collars tested is diazinon. The experimental studies were conducted under current methodological recommendations and practical guidelines. The study of shelter pets and stray animals revealed their infestation with lice, fleas, and parasitic ticks of varying intensity. Experimentally, a high insecticidal effect of the products ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for cats’ and ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Healthy Pet, Oberig’ was established, ‘Flea and tick collar Comfort for dogs’, ‘Antiparasitic collar TM Compliment, Oberig’ against fleas (Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis), chewing lice (Felicola subrostratus), sucking lice (Linognathus setosus), ticks (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor spp., Rhipicephalus spp.) The effectiveness of the drugs is 100%. It has been experimentally proven that the studied collars with the active ingredient diazinon can be used for preventive and therapeutic purposes for companion animals in case of infestation with fleas, chewing lice, sucking lice, and ticks

Survey of ectoparasites affecting dog and cat populations living in sympatry in Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Ectoparasites of dogs and cats are implicated to be responsible for life-threatening anaemia, allergic dermatitis and pruritic and non-pruritic skin disorders. In Ethiopia, few studies have been conducted on the arthropods of dogs and cats. In order to shed light on some of these aspects, a survey was conducted to investigate the presence of ectoparasites in dogs and cats living in sympatry in the urban and rural areas of Gamo Zone, Ethiopia. A total of 297 dogs and 110 cats were examined for ectoparasites, and questionnaires were employed to obtain information concerning owner's knowledge about arthropods and vector-borne diseases (VBDs). The overall prevalence of ticks, fleas and lice in dogs was 36.7%, 69.7% and 4.7%, respectively. Similarly, on cats, an overall prevalence of 2.7% ticks and 21.8% fleas was recorded. On dogs, fleas (Ctenocephalides felis 69.4%, Echidnophaga gallinacea 1.3%, Ctenocephalides canis 1.0% and Pulex irritans 0.3%), ticks (Amblyomma variegatum 22.9%, Rhipicephalus sanguineus 14.1%, Haemaphysalis leachi 8.8%, Rhipicephalus praetextatus 4.0% and Rhipicephalus pulchellus 3.4%) and lice (Heterodoxus spiniger 4.0% and Trichodectes canis 0.7%) were identified. Likewise, on cats, fleas (C. felis [15.5%] and E. gallinacea [7.3%]) and ticks (H. leachi [2.7%]) were identified. The abundance of C. felis was significantly higher (p<0.001) on dogs, whereas in cats, the abundance of E. gallinacea was significantly higher (p=0.002) than the other ectoparasites. On dogs, a significantly higher prevalence of Rh. sanguineus was recorded in urban areas (<0.001) and on dogs which live in indoor environments (p=0.003) than on dogs which live in other environments. On the other hand, the prevalence of A. variegatum in rural areas and midland agroecology was significantly higher (p<0.001). The prevalence of H. leachi was significantly higher in midland (p<0.001) and on adult dogs (p=0.001). Overall, fleas were more prevalent in rural (p=0.029) than in urban areas, and female dogs were with higher infestation than the male (p=0.047) dogs; C. felis was prevalent in female (p=0.038) dogs than males. Overall, 88.3% owners in the study area had no knowledge about ectoparasites and VBDs of dogs and cats. Majority of the owners (64.8%) attest that they had never visited veterinary clinics. In conclusion, the data presented in the present study provide additional knowledge on the importance of ectoparasites of dogs and cats and are believed to contribute in awareness creation and strengthening of veterinary services of dogs and cats of the study area.

A nowcast model to predict outdoor flea activity in real time for the contiguous United States.

The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), a parasite commonly found on both dogs and cats, is a competent vector for several zoonotic pathogens, including Dipylidium caninum (tapeworms), Bartonella henselae (responsible for cat scratch disease) and Rickettsia felis (responsible for flea-borne spotted fever). Veterinarians recommend that both cats and dogs be routinely treated with medications to prevent flea infestation. Nevertheless, surveys suggest that nearly one third of pet owners do not routinely administer appropriate preventatives. A mathematical model based on weighted averaging over time is developed to predict outdoor flea activity from weather conditions for the contiguous United States. This 'nowcast' model can be updated in real time as weather conditions change and serves as an important tool for educating pet owners about the risks of flea-borne disease. We validate our model using Google Trends data for searches for the term 'fleas.' This Google Trends data serve as a proxy for true flea activity, as validating the model by collecting fleas over the entire USA is prohibitively costly and time-consuming. The average correlation (r) between the nowcast outdoor flea activity predictions and the Google Trends data was moderate: 0.65, 0.70, 0.66, 0.71 and 0.63 for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively. However, there was substantial regional variation in performance, with the average correlation in the East South Atlantic states being 0.81 while the average correlation in the Mountain states was only 0.45. The nowcast predictions displayed strong seasonal and geographic patterns, with predicted activity generally being highest in the summer months. The nowcast model is a valuable tool by which to educate pet owners regarding the risk of fleas and flea-borne disease and the need to routinely administer flea preventatives. While it is ideal for domestic cats and dogs to on flea preventatives year-round, many pets remain vulnerable to flea infestation. Alerting pet owners to the local increased risk of flea activity during certain times of the year may motivate them to administer appropriate routine preventives.

Evaluation of efficacy of a drug based on fipronil, ivermectin, and pyriproxyfen against ecto- and endoparasitic invasions of dogs and cats

Ecto- and endoparasitic invasions of dogs and cats are treated using drugs based on fipronil, ivermectin, and pyriproxyfen. That is why our objective was performing a field study to measure the efficacy of a complex drug with different mechanisms of the actions of its active agents against ecto- and endoparastitic invasions of dogs and cats using the spot-on application method. The paper presents data of the efficiency of the complex drug PerFect TRIO, antiparasitic drops for spot-on use against ecto- and endoparasitic invasions of dogs and cats of different breeds, ages, sexes, and body mass. Parasitological study of dogs found parasitism by the fleas Ctenocephalides canis and Pulex irritans with the invasion intensity ranging 108 to 132 ectoparasite insects per animal, the average invasion intensity being 121.1 ± 3.17 ectoparasite insects per animal; Trichodectidae species such as Trichodectes canis, with the invasion intensity ranging 25 to 32 ectoparasite insects per 100 cm² of the body surface, averaging 28.6 ± 1.00 ectoparasite insects per 100 cm² of the body surface; and Trombidiformes such as Сheyletiella yasguri, the intensity being 24 to 41 ectoparasite mites per animal, the average intensity being 33.9 ± 2.52 mites per animal. According to the results of parasitological studies of cats, their bodies were parasitized by the fleas Ctenocephalides felis and Pulex irritans, with the invasion intensity ranging 58 to 80 ectoparasite insects per animal, with the average intensity of 67.7 ± 2.84 ectoparasite insects per animal, Trichodectidae species such as Felicola subrostratus with the invasion intensity of 17 to 26 ectoparasite insects per 100 cm² of the animal’s body surface, averaging 21.3 ± 1.38 ectoparasite insects per 100 cm² of the body surface; the ear mite Otodectes cynotis with the intensity ranging 4 to 9 mites per animal, the average intensity being 6.1 ± 0.7 mites per animal; and the endoparasite – the digestive-tract nematode Uncinaria stenocephala, with the invasion intensity (ІІ) of 28 to 41 eggs in one gram of feces (ЕGF), averaging 34.3 ± 2.06 ЕGF. In our study, local spot-on application of the tested drug PerFect TRIO, antiparasitic drops for dogs and cats, produced notable effects on wingless ectoparasite insects and acarians of the dogs. Therefore, the efficiency of the drug against Siphonaptera infestation of the dogs equaled 92.9% on the 8th h and 100% on the 24th and 72nd h; against Trichodectidae infestation, it was 91.5% effective on the first day and 100% on the second and seventh; against cheyletiellosis, it was 81.9% effective on the seventh day and 100% on days 14 and 21. As with the cats, parasitological studies found that the efficacy of the recommended doses of the tested drug against spontaneous Siphonaptera infestation was 92.0% on the 8th h and 100% on the 24th and 72nd h; against Felicola infestation, it was 90.6% effective on the first day and 100% on the second and seventh day; against otodectosis, the drug produced 81.4% efficacy on the 7th day and 100% on the 14th and 21st days; and against hookworm disease, the efficacy was 100% on days 7 and 14. Our field trials demonstrated that the tested antiparasitic drops for cats and dogs are easy-to-use, were well received by the animals regardless of breed, age, sex, body mass, and had no toxic impact on them, providing a broad range of treatment against ecto- and endoparasites of cats and dogs.

Ectoparasites of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Germany and their health impact

BackgroundThe European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is known for high levels of ectoparasitism that not only represents a health risk for the animals themselves, but also for pet animals and humans as hedgehogs are frequently taken into human care. In the present study, patterns of ectoparasite infestation were assessed in hedgehogs taken into care at northern German animal rehabilitation centres.MethodsEctoparasites (ticks, fleas and mites) of 498 hedgehogs were collected over a period of 3 years from July 2018 to May 2021. Species were identified based on morphological characteristics and also via amplification and sequencing of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 2 (COX-2) gene for fleas of the family Ceratophyllidae. Seasonal changes in infestation patterns as well as correlations with animal age, body weight and health status were assessed using generalised linear models.ResultsInfestation with ticks, fleas and mites occurred throughout the year. Overall, 86.5% (431/498) of the examined hedgehogs were infested with ticks, 91.4% (455/498) with fleas and 17.7% (88/498) with mites.Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes hexagonus/Ixodes canisuga were the most common tick species detected, with the additional occurrence of one Ixodes frontalis. Significant seasonal changes were observed for I. ricinus, but not for I. hexagonus/I. canisuga. Additionally, I. ricinus nymph prevalence declined significantly as of 2020, probably as a consequence of the climate change-related drought as of 2018. In hedgehogs with flea infestations, Archaeopsylla erinacei, Ceratophyllus sciurorum, Nosopsyllus fasciatus and Ctenocephalides felis were identified. In all cases of mite infestation, Caparinia tripilis was detected, in addition to specimens of the family Macronyssidae and free-living mites of the family Acaridae. Statistical analyses showed correlations regarding the factors month, year, body weight and age, but no correlation was evident regarding the health status of the animals.ConclusionsWith a detected infestation rate of 98.6%, almost all of the examined hedgehogs were infested with at least one ectoparasite species. The seasonal activity patterns of the different ectoparasite species together with the complex annual cycle of hedgehogs lead to different seasonal patterns in ectoparasite prevalence and infestation intensities. Due to the risk of transmission of zoonotic pathogens as well as the possible negative impact on the host itself, hedgehogs should be treated against ectoparasites when taken into care facilities.Graphical

Insecticidal activity of essential oils from Piper aduncum against Ctenocephalides felis felis: a promising approach for flea control.

Piper aduncum L., a Brazilian medicinal plant, is known for its bioactive properties, including repellent and insecticidal effects. This study investigated the insecticidal potential of essential oils (EOs) from P. aduncum, collected during the dry and rainy seasons, against fleas (Ctenocephalides felis felis Bouché, 1835) in egg and adult stages. The EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger apparatus for 2 h. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed via gas chromatography. The findings revealed that dillapiole was the predominant substance in both EOs, accounting for 77.6% (rainy) and 85.5% (dry) of the EOs. These EOs exhibited high efficacy against the parasite C. felis felis, resulting in 100% egg mortality at a concentration of 100 μg/mL and 100% mortality for adult fleas starting from 1,000 μg/mL. Dillapiole standard was also effective but at a relatively high concentration. This finding suggested that EOs from P. aduncum exhibit cytotoxicity against these pests and might hold potential for commercial production, offering practical applications for such bioprospecting. This study uniquely revealed that the EOs from P. aduncum, which is rich in dillapiole, demonstrated pulicidal activity against the parasite C. felis felis, particularly in inhibiting the hatching of the eggs of these parasites.

Laporan kasus: Infeksi toxocara canis pada anjing domestik (Canis familiaris)

Dogs are one of the human pets that are often affected by parasitic infections, both endoparasites (helminths and protozoa) and ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, fleas, and mites). Endoparasites that are often reported are helminth cases, namely Ancylostomiasis, Toxocariasis, Dipylidiasis, Trichuriasis and Nekatoriasis. Toxocara canis is one of the most widespread public health and economically important zoonotic parasitic infections humans share with dogs. Meanwhile, the ectoparasites, especially fleas, that are often encountered are Ctenocephalides canis. The method used to detect the presence of worms is native, centrifugation, and floating feces examination and Mc Master Chamber calculation to determine the severity of the worm infection. In this case, blood tests were also carried out. Flea examination is carried out by identifying ectoparasite wet preparations. The results of a floating stool examination revealed Toxocara canis worm eggs. The ectoparasite obtained after laboratory examination was the flea Ctenocephalides canis. The treatment used to treat helminth disease is by administering worm medicine, while for flea disease it can be done by anti-flea injection. Prevention can be done by administering worm medicine regularly and keeping the dog's cage and environment clean.

Murine Typhus: A Review of a Reemerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis with Potential for Neurologic Manifestations and Sequalae.

Murine typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by Rickettsia typhi, an obligately intracellular Gram-negative coccobacillus. Rats (Rattus species) and their fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) serve as the reservoir and vector of R. typhi, respectively. Humans become infected when R. typhi-infected flea feces are rubbed into flea bite wounds or onto mucous membranes. The disease is endemic throughout much of the world, especially in tropical and subtropical seaboard regions where rats are common. Murine typhus is reemerging as an important cause of febrile illness in Texas and Southern California, where an alternate transmission cycle likely involves opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis). Although primarily an undifferentiated febrile illness, a range of neurologic manifestations may occur, especially when treatment is delayed. Serology is the mainstay of diagnostic testing, but confirmation usually requires demonstrating seroconversion or a fourfold increase in antibody titer from acute- and convalescent-phase sera (antibodies are seldom detectable in the first week of illness). Thus, early empiric treatment with doxycycline, the drug of choice, is imperative. The purpose of this review is to highlight murine typhus as an important emerging and reemerging infectious disease, review its neurologic manifestations, and discuss areas in need of further study.

Assessing the efficacy of antiparasitic sprays

For the control of animal ectoparasites, a large number of prophylactic and therapeutic agents with different active ingredients and routes of administration have been proposed. The persistence of ectoparasitic infections in domestic animals has led to the search for more effective drugs and innovative forms of their production. The aim of the study was to establish and experimentally confirm the efficacy of innovative ectoparasiticidal sprays for dogs and cats for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes in parasitic infections. The antiparasitic agents used in the experiments were ‘PROFILINE Spray’, ‘INSECTOSTOP Spray’, and ‘Barrier-Super Insecticidal Spray’. In accordance with the tasks set, the research was carried out using visual and microscopic methods in accordance with existing practical guidelines and current methodological recommendations. In the study of ectoparasite collections, ixodid ticks (Ixodes ricinus), dog fleas (Ctenocephalus canis), and cat fleas (Ctenocephalus felis) were found. It was shown that the knockdown effect in all ticks began with a state of disorientation, the ticks began to move chaotically 6 hours after exposure to the experimental agents, and after 12 hours there was a complete knockdown of all experimental ixodid ticks and fleas. The high efficacy of ‘PROFILINE Spray’, ‘INSECTOSTOP Spray’, and ‘Barrier-Super Insecticidal Spray’ against fleas (Ctenocephalides spp.), lice (Trichodectes canis, Felicola subrostratus), lice (Linognathus setosus), and ixodid ticks (Ixodes spp.) was experimentally proven. The efficacy of the products is 100% within 60 days of application to animals. According to the results of the studies, it was found that the investigated veterinary sprays can be used for the prevention and treatment of pets with fleas, lice, and ixodid ticks

EFFICACY TRIALS AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FIVE FLEA TRAPS IN BAMAKO, MALI

Five off the shelf commercially available flea traps were tested for their efficacy against the cat/dog flea Ctenocephalides felis. Two traps were significantly better at catching fleas than the remaining three which performed very poorly. It is presumed that the unique combination of attractive features of the best performing Flea Catcher trap are what makes it so effective, including three large, intermittently illuminated light panels simulating host movement and additional synchronized lights in green wavelength pointed downwards to the flea catching base. Additionally, the Flea catcher has the largest surface area. Only two traps, the Flea Catcher and myFleaTrap were non-attractive to non-target insects, while the other traps caught large amounts of other insects quickly blocking the glue panels.

Assigning new supergroups V and W to the Wolbachia diversity.

Wolbachia are endosymbiotic and alphaproteobacteria that belong to the order Rickettsiales. They are known to infect half of the insect population and cause host manipulation, and have been categorized into 19 monophyletic lineages called supergroups. Recently, two strains, wCfeJ and wCfeT were isolated from cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), but their supergroup relationships were not assigned. In this article, we have attempted to classify these two novel strains and establish their evolutionary lineage (i.e., supergroup designation). For this we performed 16S rRNA similarity analysis and reconstructed 16S rRNA phylogeny of 52 Wolbachia strains (including two novel strains) belong to 19 supergroups. We also performed average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) studies to measure genomic similarity between the two novel genomes. The results revealed that 16S rRNA similarity between the two novel strains is 97.94%, which is below the threshold value of 98.6% and phylogeny shows that they are placed at the two different positions (i.e., showing distinct evolutionary lineages). Further, genomic similarity analysis revealed that the novel genomes have ANI and dDDH values 79% and 22.4% respectively, which were below the threshold value of ANI (95%) and dDDH (70%). These results suggested that the novel strains neither shared a species boundary between them nor with any other previously identified supergroups, which designate them as two new supergroups, namely supergroup V (strain wCfeJ) and supergroup W (strain wCfeT).

Rickettsia felis is an emerging human pathogen associated with cat fleas: A review of findings in Taiwan

Rickettsia felis is an emerging rickettsial agent principally associated with cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), formerly discovered in 1990. Since then, clinical cases of R. felis infection have been identified globally by specific DNA sequences in patients with undifferentiated febrile illness, including in Taiwan, but such evidence is limited. R. felis rickettsiosis is self-limiting and easily treated with doxycycline, but its diagnosis remains a challenge. Environmental risk factors for R. felis rickettsiosis have yet to be clearly demonstrated, and its transmission biology is incompletely understood. Cat fleas are naturally infected with R. felis at varying rates, and vector competence in the transmission of R. felis has been demonstrated in animal models, including dogs, which may serve as reservoir hosts. In northern Taiwan, despite ∼20% of cat fleas infesting companion animals consistently found to be infected with R. felis, only a few cases of potential R. felis infection have been identified through a retrospective serological investigation, though without molecular confirmation. Ecological studies have identified divergent R. felis-like organisms in different arthropod hosts, but these strains appear to serve as nonpathogenic endosymbionts. Although its association with disease is limited, we believe cat flea-borne R. felis warrants increased recognition in an aging population due to immunosenescence and the proximity of companion animals to the elderly. Adopting a One Health approach involving collaboration and communication between clinicians, veterinarians, public health practitioners, and environmental scientists will improve our knowledge about this neglected pathogen and promote the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.

Pathological manifestations of dipylidiasis in a 2-month-old German shepherd puppy

Dipylidium caninum, a zoonotic parasite, is known to be widely spread across the globe. In this case, we present a report of dipylidiasis in a puppy with the associated pathological lesions. A two-month-old German shepherd puppy was presented to the University of Jos Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Polo, with a complaint of loss of weight and inappetence. The puppy died shortly before treatment could be instituted, and the carcass was submitted for postmortem examination. A flea (Ctenocephalides canis) was identified on the body during the postmortem examination. The lungs were severely pale, and the intestinal mucosae had petechial haemorrhages with multiple button-like ulcers. Live worms were seen within the intestinal lumen, identified as Dipylidium caninum. Histopathological lesions include cellular necrosis in the submucosa and muscularis, obliteration of goblet cells and intestinal crypts in the colon. Based on the intestinal lesions observed in this report, it was concluded that dipylidiasis could be considered as a differential diagnosis in dogs at postmortem.

A bottom-up proteomics workflow for a system containing multiple organisms.

Discovery proteomics has been popularized to be essential in the investigator's biological toolbox. Many biological problems involve the interplay of multiple organisms. Herein, a bottom-up proteomics workflow was developed to study a system containing multiple organisms to promote a thorough understanding of how each interacts with the others. A label-free quantification proteomics workflow was developed with nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS). This protocol describes a bottom-up proteomics workflow used to study differential protein expression in the context of fleas (Ctenocephalides felis felis) experimentally infected by the bacterium Bartonella henselae, the etiological agent of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). Step-by-step instructions are provided for protein extraction, protein cleanup, total protein measurement, nanoLC-MS/MS data acquisition, and data analysis using Proteome Discoverer software. Comprehensive and exhaustive details are included to promote the adoption of this proteomics workflow in other laboratories. A proteomics protocol is detailed for a system containing multiple proteomes from different taxonomic lineages using CSD (cats bitten by fleas infected with Bartonella henselae) as a model. The operating protocol can be readily applied to other label-free proteomics work involving multiple proteomes from taxonomically distinct organisms.