Detection of pathogens in fleas (insecta: Siphonaptera) by molecular methods

Abstract

Fleas (Siphonaptera) are small ectoparasites, mainly parasites mammals, rarely birds. Fleas are vectors of diseases such as bubonic plague, typhus, tularaemia, pseudotuberculosis, listeriosis, typhoid fever, cat disease (Bartonella henselae) agents. Rodent fleas are extremely dangerous infectious disease the vector. We collected 71 rodents (Apodemus flavicollis, Myodes glareolus, Mus musculus, Sorex minutus) in Kuršių Nerija. A total 13 fleas were collected from eight rodents. Using morphologic taxonomic keys, fleas were identified as Hystrichopsylla talpae, Ctenophthalmus agyrtes agyrtes, Megabothris turbidus. All fleas was tested for the presence of pathogens of 16s rRNR gene. Using the EHR 521/747 primers, pathogens were detected in 4 of the 13 studied fleas and from the positive controls