DefinePK

Abstract

Fleas are one of the insects that belong to the order Siphonaptera. They are a wingless, compressed laterally, and non-host specific insect parasitizing a wide range of hosts, so they able to transmit diseases from animals to human. This study aimed to identify the fleas in and around human and animals with their prevalence and ultrastructure study. Flea samples were collected from four governorates (Cairo; Giza; Fayoum and South Sinai); Egypt during the period from January 2017 to May 2018.One-hundred and twenty fleas were collected from five animals (donkeys, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats) surrounding humans. All the collected fleas were identified as Ctenocephalides felis felis (C. f. felis). All the animals were infested with C. f. felis with flea’s allergic dermatitis recorded in dogs, human, and donkeys, while goats and sheep showed anemic mucous membrane. The highest infestation was recorded in spring and summer. The morphological characters of 50 specimens were recorded and measured using the stereoscopic and light microscope as well as scanning electron microscope (SEM). The ultramorphological characters of C.f. felis head, thorax, and abdomen with the genital organs of male and female were fully described. The antennae have three segments with the third one had several adhesive circular disks and numerous sensory hairs in antennal grooves. The maxillary palps were well developed with four segments which supported with sensory small hairs. The first genal comb is half of the second one or nearly equal to its length. These results about identification and prevalence studies were used to update the knowledge about the flea species present in investigated localities in Egypt; to detect the appropriate control measures which could be applied in flea’s infestation.