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Responses of artificially reared cat fleas C tenocephalides felis felis ( B ouché, 1835) to different mammalian bloods

2015; Wiley; Volume: 29; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/mve.12100

1365-2915

Tahar Kernif, Katherine A. Stafford, G.C. Coles, Idir Bitam, Kassim Papa, Jacques Chiaroni, Didier Raoult, Philippe Parola,

Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies

Abstract The cat flea, C tenocephalides felis felis ( B ouche, 1835) ( S iphonaptera: P ulicidae), which is found worldwide and which parasitizes many species of wild and domestic animal, is a vector and/or reservoir of bacteria, protozoa and helminths. To aid in the study of the physiology and behaviour of fleas and of their transmission of pathogens, it would be of value to improve the laboratory rearing of pathogen‐free fleas. The conditions under which artificially reared fleas at the U niversity of B ristol ( U.K. ) and the R ickettsial D iseases I nstitute ( F rance) are maintained were studied, with different ratios of male to female fleas per chamber (25 : 50, 50 : 100, 100 : 100, 200 : 200). The fleas were fed with bovine, ovine, caprine, porcine or human blood containing the anticoagulants sodium citrate or EDTA . Egg production was highest when fleas were kept in chambers with a ratio of 25 males to 100 females. In addition, the use of EDTA as an anticoagulant rather than sodium citrate resulted in a large increase in the number of eggs produced per female; however, the low percentage of eggs developing through to adult fleas was lower with EDTA . The modifications described in our rearing methods will improve the rearing of cat fleas for research.