Ctenocephalides Quiz

Ctenocephalides felis

• Infests the skin, back, ventral abdomen, and inner thighs of hosts.
• Causes flea bite allergy (Flea Allergy Dermatitis, FAD)
• Transmits some infectious agents.
• Diagnosed by finding fleas, flea feces, and blood on the host and in bedding.
• Control requires breaking the life cycle in multiple locations.
• Insecticides are helpful but don't treat all life stages.
• Treatment and prevention options include Sentinel, Advantage Multi, Revolution, Program, Vectra 3D, Comfortis, Frontline (Plus), Capstar, etc.
• Environmental control involves frequent vacuuming of areas where pets are present.
• Mowing lawns and raking clippings and leaves prevent flea breeding.
• Treated pets should be allowed to roam in usual areas to spread insecticides.
• Foggers, dusting powders, and sprays can be used.

Ctenocephalides canis

• Common name: Dog flea.
• Host: Dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, foxes, and humans.
• Very similar to C. felis.

Echidnophaga spp.

• Common name: Sticktight flea
• Hosts: Domestic and wild fowl.
• Adult flea is 1 mm, brown-black with a distinctive blunt head.
• Infests the head, comb, wattles, and eyes.
• Causes irritation, blood loss, and anemia.
• Diagnosis is confirmed by identifying the flea.

Triatomine bugs

• Also known as kissing bugs, assassin bugs, or vampire bugs.
• Vector of Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes Chagas disease.
• The parasite is present in the bug's feces and is transmitted through wounds or mucus membranes.

Cimex spp.

• Hosts: Nesting birds, humans, bats.
• Mouthparts are beak-like, designed for piercing and bloodsucking.
• Life cycle includes eggs, nymphs (molting five times), and adults.
• Hide in crevices during the day and feed on hosts at night.
• Can survive up to 5 months without a blood meal.
• Infest the skin.
• Feed on blood, causing allergic reactions to bites.
• Massive infestations can cause blood loss.
• Diagnosed by identifying the bug.

Linognathus setosus

• Common name: Dog sucking louse.
• Host: Dogs.
• 3-5 mm in size with a head narrower than the thorax and sucking mouthparts.
• Life cycle is similar to Trichodectes canis.
• Infests the skin.
• Heavy infestations can lead to anemia.
• Clinical signs include loss of body condition and skin damage.
• Diagnosis is confirmed by identifying the louse.
• Prevented by avoiding contact with brushes, combs, and blankets.

Linognathus vituli

• Common name: Long-nosed cattle louse.
• Host: Cattle.
• Gregarious, forming dense, isolated clusters.
• Infests dewlap, head, neck.
• Anopluran, size and location are key identifiers.
• Heavy infestations cause pruritus, anemia, weakness and can be a sign of malnutrition or chronic disease.
• Treated with various ectoparasiticides and management control programs (MCLs).

Linognathus pedalis and Linognathus ovillus

• Hosts: Sheep.
• Up to 5 mm in size, slow-moving with blood sucking mouthparts.
• Tan to bluish black in color.
• L. pedalis infests the lower hind limbs, scrotum, and belly.
• L. ovillus occurs on the face, ears, cheeks, neck, and body of heavy wool breeds.
• Causes anemia.
• Diagnosed by louse identification.
• Prevented by several effective remedies.

Cochliomyia hominivorax

• Common name: New World screwworm
• Infects livestock and wildlife
• Larvae feed on living tissue
• Females mate only once in their lifetime
• Eggs are laid in uninfected wounds
• Sterile male release is a common control method
• A reportable disease

Sarcophagidae

• Common name: Flesh flies
• Found in any animal
• First instar larvae are laid in sores, wounds or necrotic tissue

Trichodectes canis

• Common name: Dog biting/chewing louse
• Requires a host to complete its life cycle
• Causes pruritus
• Vector for D.caninum
• Heavy infestations found in neglected animals
• Most commonly affects young animals

Felicola subrostratus

• Common name: Cat biting louse
• Distinguished by brown bands and a triangular anterior end
• Found in elderly or chronically ill animals

Bovicola (Damalinia) bovis

• Common name: Cattle biting louse
• Found on the head, poll, neck, shoulders, rump and tail switch of cattle
• Infestations are high in winter
• Severe infestations are associated with malnutrition or chronic disease

Bovicola (Damalinia) ovis

• Common name: Sheep biting louse
• Found in sheep
• Found in wool across the entire body
• Can damage fleece
• The most pathogenic of all sheep lice

Ischnocera

• Common name: Avian lice
• Bite and chew
• Found on both domestic and wild fowl
• Common names: Wing lice and fluff lice

Learning Objectives

• Learn the characteristics of the following lice:
  • Linognathus setosus
  • Linognathus vituli
  • Linognathus pedalis
  • Linognathus ovillus
  • Solenopotes capillatus
  • Haematopinus eurysternus
  • Haematopinus suis
• Know the characteristics of these fleas:
  • Ctenocephalides felis
  • Ctenocephalides canis
  • Echidnophaga spp.
• Be aware of bed bugs (Cimex spp.) and kissing bugs

Anoplura (suborder)

• Common name: Bloodsucking lice
• More pathogenic than other lice
• Pointed noses
• Head is smaller than the thorax
• Large (3-5mm)
• Dark blue in color, depending on the amount of blood ingested
• Slow moving
• Have clasping hairs
• Found on mammals

Linognathus spp.

• Found on:
  • Dogs (L. setosus)
  • Cattle (L. vituli)
  • Sheep (L. pedalis, L. ovillus)
• Similar life cycle to Trichodectes canis

Linognathus setosus

• Common name: Dog sucking louse
• Found on dogs
• Identification: 3-5mm long, head narrower than thorax, sucking mouthparts
• Life cycle: Similar to Trichodectes canis

Linognathus setosus

• Infestation site: Skin
• Pathogenesis/lesions: Heavy infestations can cause severe anemia
• Clinical signs: Loss of body condition, skin damage
• Diagnosis: Louse identification
• Treatment and prevention: Avoid direct contact with brushes, combs and blankets

Linognathus vituli

• Common name: Long-nosed cattle louse
• Host: Cattle
• Life cycle: Lives in dense clusters
• Site of infestation: Dewlap, head and neck
• Identification: Anopluran, size and location
• Pathogenesis/lesions/clinical signs: Heavy infestations can lead to pruritus, anemia and weakness. Often seen in cases of malnutrition or chronic disease
• Treatment and prevention: Various ectoparasiticides. MCLs

Linognathus pedalis & Linognathus ovillus

• Host: Sheep
• Identification: 5mm long, slow moving, blood sucking mouthparts, tan to bluish black in color
• Site of infestation:
  • L. pedalis found on the lower region of the hind limbs, scrotum, belly
  • L. ovillus found on the face, ears, cheeks, neck and body of heavy wool breeds
• Pathogenesis/lesions/clinical signs: Anemia
• Diagnosis: Louse identification
• Treatment and prevention: Various remedies are effective

Solenopotes capillatus

• Common name: Little blue cattle louse
• Host: Cattle
• Site of infestation: Neck, head, shoulders, dewlap, back, tail
• Identification: Bluish, 1.2-1.5mm long, the smallest Anopluran louse on cattle
• Diagnosis: Louse identification

Haematopinus spp.

• Site of infestation: Skin, back, ventral abdomen and inner thighs
• Pathogenesis/lesions/clinical signs: Flea bite allergy (FAD)
  • Vector for some infectious agents

Ctenocephalides felis

• Common name: Cat flea
• Host: Cats, dogs, rats, rabbits, foxes, humans
• Diagnosis: Fleas, flea feces, blood on host and in bedding
• Treatment and prevention: Requires breaking the life cycle. Insecticides are helpful but do not treat all stages of the life cycle
  • Sentinel, Advantage Multi, Revolution, Program, Vectra 3D, Comfortis, Frontline (Plus), Capstar, etc

Ctenocephalides felis

• Treatment and prevention (continued):
  • Environmental control
    • Vacuum frequently where pets spend time
    • Mow lawn and rake clippings/leaves
    • Allow treated pets to roam in their usual places
    • Foggers, dusting powders, sprays

Ctenocephalides canis

• Common name: Dog flea
• Host: Dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, foxes, humans

Echidnophaga spp.

• Common name: Sticktight flea
• Hosts: Domestic and wild fowl
• Identification: 1mm long, brown-black, blunt head
• Site of infestation: Head, comb, wattles, eyes
• Pathogenesis/lesions/clinical signs: Irritation, blood loss, anemia
• Diagnosis: Identify the flea

Triatomine bugs

• Common names: Kissing bugs, assassin bugs, vampire bugs
• Vector for Trypanosoma cruzi which causes Chagas disease
• Parasites are found in the feces of the bug, which are released during a blood meal.
• Trypomastigotes enter a host through a bite wound or mucous membrane.

Cimex spp.

• Common name: Bed bugs
• Host: Nesting birds, humans, bats
• Identification: Beak-like mouthparts designed for piercing and sucking blood.
• Life cycle: eggs -> nymphs (5 molts) -> adults
• Hide in crevices during the day and feed at night
• Can survive up to 5 months without a blood meal
• Site of infestation: Skin
• Pathogenesis/lesions/clinical signs: Bloodsuckers, allergic reactions to bites, heavy infestations can lead to blood loss
• Diagnosis: Identify the bug