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Cited by 172Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites researchAnimal Ecology and Behavior StudiesZoonotic diseases and public health

Sylvatic plague studies. The vector efficiency of nine species of fleas compared with Xenopsylla cheopis

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Burroughs, Albert Lawrence·1947·Journal of Hygiene
DOI 10.1017/s0022172400014042PMC PMC2234840
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Abstract

All fleas used in this study were collected in the field and except for Pulex irritans were cultured in the laboratory. The ten species studied were Xenopsylla cheopis, Nosopsyllus fasciatus, Orchopeas sexdentatus sexdentatus, Opisodasys-nesiotus, Megabothris abantis, Malaraeus telchinum, Diamanus montanus, Echidnophaga gallinacea, Pulex irritans and Oropsylla idahoensis. All fleas transmitted in individual feeding studies with the exception of the latter two species, which transmitted en masse. Echidnophaga gallinacea could not be fed periodically as were the other fleas because of its tick-like feeding habits. Consequently, the vector efficiency obtained for this species is not strictly comparable to that found for the other species. The transmission data obtained from individual flea feeding studies was analysed statistically to estimate the expected number of transmissions per flea of each species. These values are obtained as intervals which have a 90% probability of containing the true value. The true vector efficiency of Xenopsylla cheopis was found to be 0·660 ± 0·234 (expected transmissions per flea), that of Nosopsyllus fasciatus to be 0·213 ± 0·157, and that of Orchopeas sexdentatus sexdentatus to be 0·170 ± 0·138. Opisodasys nesiotus, Megabothris abantis, Malaraeus telchinum and Diamanus montanus transmitted very inefficiently. Experimental evidence was obtained that different strains of a species of flea may differ markedly in their biological vector capacity. In contrast to results obtained in this study, Wheeler & Douglas found Diamanus montanus to be an exceptionally good vector; in their studies it proved to be an even more efficient vector than Xenopsylla cheopis. The strain of Diamanus montanus employed by them came from an area widely separated from that in which the strain used in the present studies was originally collected. Since many blocked fleas did not transmit it is probable that the experimentally determined vector efficiencies are lower than they would be in nature, where the blocked flea has constant access to a host and hence greater opportunity to feed. Attempts to determine the number of organisms regurgitated by a blocked flea during its attempt to feed did not prove entirely satisfactory, but gave an indication that the number may be at times from 11,000 to 24,000 organisms. The technique consisted of feeding a blocked flea on the shaved abdomen of a mouse (later on the ear), then immediately doing a biopsy on the area around and including the bite wound. This biopsy material was then finely ground and plated on a sensitive bacteriological medium. Some mice upon which biopsies were performed nevertheless contracted plague and died. This must lead to the conclusion that an infective flea may deposit organisms directly into the capillaries and that the primary stage of infection resulting from a flea bite is frequently bacteraemia.

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  • The ability of Ctenocephalides spp. bites to transmit Yersinia pestis is considered low.

    “Although a correlation between human plague and sleeping in the same bed as a dog has been documented [22], the ability of Ctenocephalides spp. bites in transmitting Y. pestis is considered low [23].”

    From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [23]

  • Ctenocephalides spp. are only occasionally found on rodents and are considered unlikely bridging vectors of plague between animals and humans.

    “Ctenocephalides spp. are only occasionally found on rodents and considered unlikely bridging vectors of plague between animals and humans [23-25].”

    From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [23]

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Research works printed but not linked: 10

  1. BYTCHOV, V. A. (1935). On the role of fleas in the conservation and propagation of plague bacilli (Assistants dissertation). Parasites, transmetteurs, animaux venimeux. Recueil des travaux didii aux 25™" anniversaire scientifique du Professor Eugene Pavlosky, Moscou, pp. 89-126. French summary, pp. 126-8.
  2. EVSEEVA, V. E. & FIRSOV, I. P. (1932). The suslik fleas as reservoirs of plague bacilli during the winter. Vestn. mikr. epidemiol. parazitol. 11, pp. 281-3. English summary, p. 283.
  3. GIRARD, G. (1943). Les ectoparasites de l'homme dans l'epidemiologie de la peste. Bull. Soc. Path. exot. 36, • nos. 1-2, pp. 4-41.
  4. GOLOV, D. A. & IOFF, I. G. (1925). On the question of the role of the fleas of spermophiles in the epidemio- logy of plague. Vestn. mikr. epidemiol. parazitol. 4, pp. 19-48. French summary, pp. 131-7.
  5. GOYLE, A. N. (1927). Experiments on the transmission of plague by Xenopsylla, cheopis and X. astia. Far East. Ass. Trop. Med. Trans. Seventh Congr. 2, 35-9.
  6. MEYER, K. F. (1938). The role of the infected and the infective flea in the spread of sylvatic plague. V. jschr. naturf. Oes. Zurich, 83, Beiblatt no. 30, pp. 160-9, Festschrift Karl Hescheler.
  7. MEYEB, K. F. (1943). Plague. Med. Clin. N. Amer., New York Number, pp. 745-65.
  8. Roux, M. E. (1897). II. Sur la peste bubonique. Essais de traitement par le serum antipesteux, a propos d'une note du Dr Yersin, medecin de 2 e classe des Colonies, directeur de l'lnstitut Pasteur de Nha-Trang. Bull. Acad. med. 37, 3 serie, pp. 91-9.
  9. Wu, LIEN-TEH (1934). The original home of plague. Manchurian plague prevention service. Memorial Volume, 1912-32. Rep. Nat. Quarantine Serv. pp. 143-58. 2 Peking Road, Shanghai.
  10. Wu, LIEN-TEH & POLLITZER, R. (1932). A new survey of plague in wild rodents and pneumonic plague. Rep. Nat. Quarantine Serv. pp. 83-201, Series in, 2 Peking Road, Shanghai.

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Authors
Burroughs, A. L.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Burroughs, Albert Lawrence
Venue
Journal of Hygiene
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
1947-08
Volume
45
Issue
3
Pages
371-396
ISSN
0022-1724 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1017/s0022172400014042
PMC
PMC2234840
OpenAlex
W2104740938
Cited by
172
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 9
FWCI
0.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 22568 d)
Locations
  • Journal of Hygiene (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
Keywords
vector efficiency, fleas, Xenopsylla cheopis, Nosopsyllus fasciatus, Yersinia pestis, sylvatic plague

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