Neosomes of tungid fleas on wild and domestic animals

Linardi, Pedro Marcos; Avelar, Daniel Moreira de

doi:10.1007/s00436-014-4081-8

Cited by 43 publications

(41 citation statements)

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“…Tungiasis is a parasitosis of humans and animals caused by embedded female sand fleas belonging to the genus Tunga . So far 14 different Tunga species have been described [ 1 – 4 ] of which three have been reported in domestic animals: Tunga hexalobulata , Tunga trimamillata and Tunga penetrans [ 3 , 5 ]. Only the latter two species are known to be zoonotic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successful Treatment of Severe Tungiasis in Pigs Using a Topical Aerosol Containing Chlorfenvinphos, Dichlorphos and Gentian Violet

et al. 2016

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BackgroundIn endemic communities, zoonotic tungiasis, a severe skin disease caused by penetrating female sand fleas, is a public health hazard causing significant human and animal morbidity. No validated drugs are currently available for treatment of animal tungiasis. Due to the reservoir in domestic animals, integrated management of human and animal tungiasis is required to avert its negative effects.Methods and principal findingsA topical aerosol containing chlorfenvinphos 4.8%, dichlorphos 0.75% and gentian violet 0.145% licensed to treat tick infestations, myiasis and wound sepsis in animals in the study area, was tested for its potential tungicidal effects in a randomized controlled field trial against pig tungiasis in rural Uganda. Animals with at least one embedded flea were randomized in a treatment (n = 29) and a control (n = 26) group. One week after treatment, 58.6% of the treated pigs did not show any viable flea lesion whereas all control pigs had at least one viable lesion. After treatment the number of viable lesions (treated median = 0, overall range = 0–18 vs. control median = 11.5, range = 1–180) and the severity score for estimating acute pathology in pig tungiasis (treated median = 1, range = 0–3.5 vs. control median = 7, range = 0–25) were significantly lower in treated than in control pigs (p < 0.001). In the treatment group the median number of viable flea lesions decreased from 8.5 to 0 (p < 0.001). Similarly, the median acute severity score dropped from 6 to 1 (p < 0.001). Every pig in the treatment group showed a decrease in the number of viable fleas and tungiasis-associated acute morbidity while medians for both increased in the control group.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates that a topical treatment based on chlorfenvinphos, dichlorphos and gentian violet is highly effective against pig tungiasis. Due to its simplicity, the new approach can be used for the treatment of individual animals as well as in mass campaigns.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successful Treatment of Severe Tungiasis in Pigs Using a Topical Aerosol Containing Chlorfenvinphos, Dichlorphos and Gentian Violet

et al. 2016

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“…It is unlikely that finding Bartonella DNA in Hectopsylla sp. would pose a risk to human health, because these fleas are neosomatic and females are semipenetrating (Linardi & Moreira de Avelar, 2014), they stay attached to the host for long periods of time, representing little chance that it will infect humans. The high prevalence of Bartonella DNA reported in this study for X. cheopis (63.6%) would be within the ranges reported for other parts of the world (Billeter et al, 2011: 95%;Leulmi et al, 2014: 34.7%;Klangthong et al, 2015: 25.8%;Billeter et al, 2013: 59.1%;Dieme et al, 2015: 6.7%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer Review #1 of "Fleas of black rats (Rattus rattus) as reservoir host of Bartonella spp. in Chile (v0.1)"

Šlapeta¹

2019

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Background. Rattus rattus is a widely distributed, invasive species that presents an important role in disease transmission, either directly or through vector arthropods such as fleas. These black rats can transmit a wide variety of pathogens, including bacteria of the genus Bartonella, which can cause diseases in humans and animals. In Chile, no data are available identifying fleas from synanthropic rodents as Bartonella vectors. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in the fleas of R. rattus in areas with different climate conditions and featuring different human population densities. Methods. In all, 174 fleas collected from 261 R. rattus captured from 30 localities with different human densities (cities, villages, and wild areas) across five hydrographic zones of Chile (hyper-arid, arid, semiarid, sub-humid, and hyper-humid) were examined. Bartonella spp. presence was determined through polymerase chain reaction, using gltA and rpoB genes, which were concatenated to perform a similarity analysis with BLAST and phylogenetic analysis. Results. Overall, 15 fleas species were identified; Bartonella gltA and rpoB fragments were detected in 21.2% (37/174) and 19.5% (34/174) of fleas, respectively. Ten of the 15 fleas species found were positive for Bartonella DNA. Leptopsylla segnis was the most commonly collected flea species (n=55), and it also presented a high prevalence of Bartonella DNA (P%=34.5%). The highest numbers of fleas of this species were collected in villages of the arid zone. There were no seasonal differences in the prevalence of Bartonella DNA. The presence of Bartonella DNA in fleas was recorded in all hydrographic areas, and the arid zone presented the highest prevalence of this species. Regarding areas with different human densities, the highest prevalence was noted in the villages (34.8% gltA and 31.8% rpoB), followed by cities (14.8% gltA and 11.1% rpoB) and wild areas (7.4% gltA and 14.8% rpoB). The BLAST analysis showed a high similitude (>96%) with four uncharacterized Bartonella genotypes and with two species with zoonotic potential: B. mastomydis and B. tribocorum. The phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship with B. elizabethae and B. tribocorum. This is the first study to provide evidence of the presence of Bartonella in fleas of R. rattus in Chile, indicating that the villages and arid zone correspond to areas with higher infection risk.

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“…A review solely on the neosomes of tungid fleas that infest wild and domestic animals and concentrated mainly on hosts, infestation, sites of attachment, and impact on the hosts was recently presented by Linardi and Avelar [ 32 ].…”

Section: Neosomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the epidemiological and economic importance of T. penetrans and T. trimamillata, which infest both domestic animals and humans, the correct identification of species is indispensable. T. penetrans has been found parasitizing at least 28 genera of hosts [ 10 ], although some occurrences are incorrect records [ 32 , 33 ]. Morphological variations must be used carefully for taxonomic purposes.…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Notes on the genusTunga(Siphonaptera: Tungidae) II – neosomes, morphology, classification, and other taxonomic notes

et al. 2014

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This review focuses on the neosomes, morphology, and taxonomy of adult species of the genus Tunga, complementing the previously published data on the phylogeny, ecology, and pathogenic role. Neosomes are structures formed after penetration of adult females into the skin of hosts resulting in significant enlargement, being the most characteristic and most frequently observed form in hosts. Neosomes can be differentiated by shape, measurements, and sites of attachment to principal hosts. The taxonomic value and morphometric data of the most widely used characteristics to separate species – such as frontal curvature, head chaetotaxy, preoral internal sclerotization, ventral and dorsal genal lobes, eyes, maxillary palps, fusion of pronotum and mesonotum, metacoxae, metatarsi chaetotaxy, spermatheca (females), manubrium, basimere, telomere, and phallosome (males) – are comparatively analyzed. The sexes, individual variations, undescribed species, higher taxa, as well as a proposal for division of the genus into two subgenera (Tunga and Brevidigita) are presented (as previously given by Wang). A key for females, males, and gravid females (neosomes) also is included for identifying the 13 known species. Data on host specificity and geographical distribution may also support the identification of Tunga species because some sand fleas and their hosts may have co-evolved.

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Neosomes of tungid fleas on wild and domestic animals

Cited by 43 publications

References 80 publications

Successful Treatment of Severe Tungiasis in Pigs Using a Topical Aerosol Containing Chlorfenvinphos, Dichlorphos and Gentian Violet

Successful Treatment of Severe Tungiasis in Pigs Using a Topical Aerosol Containing Chlorfenvinphos, Dichlorphos and Gentian Violet

Peer Review #1 of "Fleas of black rats (Rattus rattus) as reservoir host of Bartonella spp. in Chile (v0.1)"

Notes on the genusTunga(Siphonaptera: Tungidae) II – neosomes, morphology, classification, and other taxonomic notes

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