FLEAS

Question 1

Define an ectoparasite

Answer 1

-spends some or all of their lives parasitizing and usually live on or burrow into the skin

Question 2

Which subclass do ticks and mites come from?

Answer 2

Acari

Question 3

Which subclass do lice come from?

Answer 3

Hemimetabola (class= insect)

fleas/ flies also from insect class

Question 4

What is the name for the cat flea?

Answer 4

Ctencephalides felis

Question 5

Which parasite group comes under Siphonaptera?

Answer 5

Fleas

Question 6

Which parasite group comes under diptera?

Answer 6

Flies

Question 7

Which parasite group comes under phthiaptera?

Answer 7

Lice

Question 8

Describe the exoskeleton of a flea

Answer 8

• Made of chitin
• Serves as protection
• Muscle attaches to it
• Limits total size

Question 9

How do fleas respire?

Answer 9

Through pores in the cuticle called spiracles

Question 10

What are the two different lifecycles of ectoparasites?

Answer 10

• Hemimetabola= partial metamorphism (lice)

- Holometabola= full metabolism (fleas and flies)

Question 11

List the common flea species in the UK

Answer 11

• C.felis
• C. canis
• Ceratophylus gallinae (hen flea)
• Spilopsyllus cuniculi (rabbit flea)
• Archaeopsylla erinacei (hedgehog flea)

Question 12

Adult male and female fleas are ____?____ flea suckers

Answer 12

Obligate

Question 13

What Is important about flea saliva?

Answer 13

-Contains substances that act as allergens and can cause a severe allergic response- FAD (flea allergy dermatitis)

Question 14

Discuss FAD

Answer 14

• Flea allergy dermatitis
• More likely to occur multipet households
• Animals which are intermittently exposed to fleas have a greater response to those who are constantly exposed.

Question 15

What are the indirect effect of fleas?

Answer 15

• Can acts as VECTORS/ HOSTS for pathogens
• Myxomatosis
• Bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease)
• Feline infectious anaemia (Mycoplasma haemofelis)
• Yersinia pestis (plague)
• Rickettsia felis (typhus)

Question 16

Describe the lifecycle of Diplydium caninum

Answer 16

• Tapeworm eggs eaten by flea larvae
• Eggs hatch/ develop inside flea body
• Tapeworm larvae develop into infectious cysticercoid
• Adult flea ingested by its host and the tapeworm cysticeroids enter digestive system and develop into tapeworms

Question 17

Describe flea control

Answer 17

• Adulticides
• Environmental chemicals
• Mechanical removal

Question 18

Describe adulticides

Answer 18

• Organophosphates
• Pyrethoids
• Carbamates
• Fipronil

Question 19

What do organophosphates do?

Answer 19

• Use Anti-acetylchoinesterases which cause an overstimulation of nicotinic synapses
• Bind irreversibly to the receptors
• Kill and repels adult fleas

Question 20

Describe the action of pyrethrins

Answer 20

• Act on the Na channels in nerves causing depolarisation

- Kills/ repels fleas

Question 21

Describe the action of fipronil

Answer 21

• Interferes with GABA causing disinhibition of neurotransmission
• Kills BUT does not repel fleas

Question 22

Describe the action of neonicotinoids

Answer 22

• Stimulates nicotinic receptors

- Kills BUT doesn’t repel fleas

Question 23

Describe IGR

Answer 23

• Insect growth regulator
• Lufenuron inhibits flea developlemt. It is stored in the fat tissue and released into the blood. inhibits chitin synthesis
• Methoprene promotes larvl/ pupal growth BUT stops moulting to an adult