灭蚤项圈对犬、猫蚤的临床试验

采用自身对照试验，以自然感染栉首蚤（Ctenocephalides sp．）的犬与猫为试验动物，验证常熟市金牧药业有限公司生产的灭蚤项圈（犬用、猫用）对蚤的杀灭与防治效果。结果表明：在整个试验期间，所有参与试验的犬、猫均未出现任何不良反应，犬、猫在挂项圈（即用药）后第14～60天，杀虫率分别在97．3％～98．4％与96．6％～98．0％之间，杀虫效果极显著（P〈o．01）。证明灭蚤项圈（犬用、猫用）对犬、猫安全可靠，能长期杀灭犬、猫蚤类。     

An investigation on the influence of feline flea allergy on the fecundity of the cat flea

Survival, egg production and egg viability of fleas allowed to feed on eight flea-allergic and six flea-naive cats were compared. Fifty fleas, in feeding cages or free roaming, were allowed to feed on the cats. Flea-allergic cats removed significantly more free-roaming fleas than did flea-naive cats. Female fleas produced fewer eggs on flea-allergic cats than on flea-naive cats regardless of feeding method. There was no significant difference in egg viability between the two groups. The data suggest that flea-allergic cats efficiently removed fleas by grooming and that they also produce unknown factor(s) that affect the fecundity of fleas.     

Prevalence of Bartonella species,Rickettsia felis,haemoplasmas and the Ehrlichia group in the blood of cats and fleas in eastern Australia

Objectives To define the prevalence of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia felis, Mycoplasma haemofelis, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ (Mhm) and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’ (Mtc) in cats and their fleas in eastern Australia. Design and procedure Conventional PCR assays that detect Bartonella spp., M. haemofelis, Mhm, Mtc, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp. and Neorickettsia spp. were performed on DNA extracted from blood and fleas collected from 111 cats. Cat sera were assayed by ELISA for IgG of Bartonella spp. Results DNA of M. haemofelis, Mtc and Mhm was amplified from 1 (0.9%), 1 (0.9%) and 17 cats (15.3%), respectively. Only DNA of Mhm was amplified from the 62 of 111 pooled flea samples (flea sets; 55.9%). Overall, the prevalence rates for Bartonella spp. DNA in the cats and the flea sets was 16.2% (18 cats) and 28.8% (32 flea sets), respectively. Bartonella spp. IgG was detected in 42 cats (37.8%), of which 11 (26.2%) were positive for Bartonella spp. DNA in their blood. R. felis DNA was amplified from 22 flea sets (19.8%), but not from cats. Overall, DNA of one or more of the organisms was amplified from 27% (30) of cats and 67.6% (75) of the flea sets. Conclusions This is the first Australian study to determine the prevalence of R. felis and B. clarridgeiae in both fleas and the cats from which they were collected. Flea-associated infectious agents are common in cats and fleas in eastern Australia and support the recommendation that stringent flea control be maintained on cats.     

An open prospective investigation into aetiology in a group of cats with suspected allergic skin disease

Abstract This prospective study evaluated the cause(s) of dermatitis in a series of cats with signs suggestive of allergic skin disease. Twenty cases completed the díagnostic evaluation, which included intradermal skin testing, a rigorous flea-control programme, and a 4-month stabilization period on a restricted protein source commercial diet, followed by rechallenge with the cat's original diet. The most common final díagnoses included flea allergic dermatitis (seven cases), and flea allergic dermatitis together with atopy (seven cases). Three additional cases which did not complete the study were also considered to be atopic. No cases were considered to be primarily associated with food hypersensitivity, an observation supporting previous data indicating this to be a rare cause of allergic skin disease in the cat. These observations emphasize the value of a rigorous flea-control programme as part of the management of many cases of feline allergic dermatitis. Résumé Une étude étiologique prospective a été réalisée dans une population de chats suspects de dermites allergiques. Des tests cutanés intradermiques ont été réalisés ainsi qu'un contrôle antipuce rigoureux et un régime d'élimination, faisant appel à une alimentation du commerce restreinte en protéines pendant 4 mois, suivi par une réintroduction de l'alimentation initiale du chat. Le díagnostic le plus fréquent est la Dermite par Allergie à la Piqûres de Puce (DAPP) (7 cas), une DAPP associée à une atopie (7 cas). Trois cas supplémentaires sont atopiques. Aucun cas n'est en rapport avec seulement une allergie alimentaire. Cette observation montre que l'allergie alimentaire est une cause rare de dermite allergique chez le chat. Ces observations confirment par ailleurs l'intérêt d'un contrôle antipuce rigoureux dans la gestion thérapeutique des dermites allergiques du chat. [O'Dair, H.A., Markwell, P.J., Maskell, I.E. An open prospective investigation into aetiology in a group of cats with suspected allergic skin disease (Etude étiologique prospective ouverte dans une population de chats suspects de dermite allergiques). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 193–202.] Resumen Este estudio prospective evalúa la(s) causa(s) de dermatitis en un grupo de gatos con sintomas sugestivos de dermatosis alérgica. Se evaluó el díagnóstico de veinte casos, incluyendo pruebas cutáneas intradérmicas, programa riguroso de control de pulgas y un periodo de cuatro meses de estabilización con una dieta comercial con fuente de proteina restringida, seguido de una re-exposición a la dieta original del gato. El díagnóstico final más frecuente fue de dermatitis alérgica a las pulgas (siete casos) y dermatitis alérgica a las pulgas con atopia (siete casos). Tres casos más que no completaron el estudio fueron también considerados atópicos. Ninguno de los casos fue considerado estar principalmente asociado a una hipersensibilidad alimentaria, lo que apoya hallazgos previos indicativos de que este tipo de hipersensibilidad es poco frecuente en el gato. Estos hallazgos resaltan la importancia de un programa rigurosos de control de pulgas en el protocolo de manejo de muchos casos de dermatitis alérgica felina. [O'Dair, H.A., Markwell, P.J., Maskell, I.E. An open prospective investigation into aetiology in a group of cats with suspected allergic skin disease (Investigacion prospectiva abierta de la etiologia en un grupo de gatos sospechosos de dermatosis alérgica). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 193–202.] Zusammenfassung Diese prospektive Untersuchung wertete die Fälle von Dermatitis bei einer Reihe von Katzen aus, die Symptome aufwiesen, welche auf eine allergische Hautkrankheit deuteten. Zwanzig Fälle wiesen eine vollständige díagnostische Untersuchung äuf, die intradermale Hauttests, striktes Flohbekämpfungsprogramm und eine viermonatige Stabilisierungsphase mit einer kommerziellen Diät mit begrenzten Eiweißquellen, gefolgt von einer Provokation mit dem bisher üblichen Katzenfutter, beinhaltete. Die häufigste endgültige Diagnose bestand in Flohbißdermatitis (sieben Fälle) und Flohbißdermatitis zusammen mit Atopie (sieben Fälle). Drei weitere Fälle durchliefen die Studie nicht vollständig, wurden aber als atopisch angesehen. Kein Fall wurde primär in Verbindug mit Futtermittelhypersensibilität gesehen, eine Beobachtung, die frühere Daten unterstützt, die dies als seltene Ursache bei allergischen Hautkrankheiten der Katze nennt. Diese Beobachtungen betonen die Bedeutung des genauen Flohbekämpfungsprogramms als Teil des Management vieler Fälle von allergischen Hautkrankheiten bei der Katze. [O'Dair, H.A., Markwell, P.J., Maskell, I.E. An open prospective investigation into aetiology in a group of cats with suspected allergic skin disease (Offene prospektive Untersuchung über die Ätiologie bei einer Gruppe von Katzen mit Verdacht auf allergische Hautkrankheiten). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 193–202.]     

Latitudinal gradients in body size and sexual size dimorphism in fleas: males drive Bergmann's pattern

We tested for the effects of latitude and geographic range size (GRS) on body size, leg length, and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) across 103 species of fleas, taking into account phylogenetic between-species relationships. When the data on body size were combined for males and females, the positive correlation between body size and latitude, but not GRS, was revealed. When the analysis was restricted to one sex only, the effect of latitude appeared to be non-significant for females, whereas male body size increased with an increase in latitude. Intraspecific body size variation was not associated with either the latitude or the latitudinal span of the geographic range, independently of which data subset was analyzed. No evidence of association between size-independent tibia length and latitude was found for either females, males, or both sexes combined. The degree of SSD decreased with a decrease in latitude but was not affected by GRS. We conclude that macroecological patterns might be manifested differently in males and females. This should be kept in mind while searching for these patterns.     

高原环境蚤饲养新技术及青海特有染疫蚤饲养室的建立

建立"高原环境人工供血蚤饲养"新技术;探索我省特有鼠疫染疫蚤谢氏山蚤、斧形盖蚤等蚤种的生活史特征及其在不同季节、不同温湿度条件下的实验室最适恒定饲养生境指标和方法,建立和纯化蚤实验室种群,掌握蚤批量产出技术,逐步达到批量提供实验用蚤的目的;制定并完善蚤饲养室管理规范及饲养室操作规程;为虫媒传播性疾病的预防控制及相关科研提供试验平台。     

Rodent hosts and flea vectors in Brazilian plague foci: a review

Plague, caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, has several foci scattered throughout a large area from the Brazilian territory that ranges from the Northeastern State of Ceará to the Southeastern State of Minas Gerais and another separated area at the State of Rio de Janeiro. This review gathers data from plague control and surveillance programs on the occurrence and geographic distribution of rodent hosts and flea vectors in the Brazilian plague areas during the period of from 1952 to 2019. Furthermore, we discuss how the interaction between Y. pestis and some rodent host species may play a role in the disease dynamics. The absence of human cases nowadays in Brazil does not mean that it was eradicated. The dynamics of plague in Brazil and in other countries where it was introduced during the 3rd pandemic are quite alike, alternating epidemics with decades of quiescence. Hence, it remains an important epidemic disease of global concern. The existence of a large animal reservoir and competent vectors demonstrate a need for continuous surveillance to prevent new outbreaks of this disease in humans.     

Rodent control to fight plague: field assessment of methods based on rat density reduction

Rodents represent a serious threat to food security and public health. The extent to which rodent control can mitigate the risk from rodent-borne disease depends on both the effectiveness of control in reducing rodent abundance and the impact on disease epidemiology. Focusing on a plague-endemic region of Madagascar, this study compared the effectiveness of 3 methods: live-traps, snap-traps, and rodenticides. Control interventions were implemented inside houses between May and October 2019. Tracking tiles monitored rodent abundance. Rodent fleas, the vector involved in plague transmission, were collected. Rodent populations consisted of Rattus rattus and Mus musculus. In terms of trap success, we found that our live-trap regime was more effective than snap-traps. While all 3 control strategies appeared to reduce in-house rodent activity in the short term, we found no evidence of a longer-term effect, with in-house rodent abundance in treated sites comparable to non-treatment sites by the following month. Endemic flea, Synopsyllus fonquerniei, is a key plague vector usually found on rats living outdoors. Although we found no evidence that its abundance inside houses increased following control, this may have been due to a lack of power caused by significant variation in S. fonquerniei abundance. The presence of S. fonquerniei in houses was more likely when S. fonquerniei abundance on outdoor rats was higher, which in turn correlated with high rat abundance. Our results emphasize that control strategies need to consider this connectivity between in-house rat–flea populations and the outdoor populations, and any potential consequences for plague transmission.