Department of Parasitology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, Bangladesh.
Department of Parasitology, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, Bangladesh; Parasite Resource Bank, Bangladesh.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2024 Jan;47:100953. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100953. Epub 2023 Nov 4.
Ticks (Ixodida) and Fleas (Siphonaptera) are considered among the most important arthropod of public health concern due to their ability to transmit vector-borne pathogens to humans. By sharing a common environment, vector-borne diseases constituted major setbacks to the development of a pet population in Bangladesh. This study aimed to determine companion animal-associated ticks and fleas based on morpho-molecular approaches. Between December 2021 and May 2022, 74 animals (62 cats and 12 dogs) were examined, of which 17 (27.4%) cats and 9 (75.0%) dogs had ectoparasitic infestations, with 35.1% overall prevalence. Morphometrical examination showed the ectoparasites in these animals were Ctenocephalides spp. (flea) and Riphicephalus spp. (tick). Genetic analysis using the mitochondrial markers i.e. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) revealed the presence of two flea species i.e., Ctenocephalides canis, Ctenocephalides felis, and one tick species Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Interviews of animal owners indicate that 35.14% of them had no concern about ectoparasitic infestation or ectoparasites-borne diseases. Our results indicated that fleas and ticks were the most common ectoparasites in companion animals of this area. The zoonotic nature of some ectoparasites can be regarded as a public health alert. The findings will assist epidemiologists and policymakers in offering customized guidance for upcoming monitoring and preventive tactics in this area.
蜱（Ixodida）和跳蚤（Siphonaptera）被认为是最重要的节肢动物之一，因为它们有能力将媒介传播的病原体传播给人类。由于共同的环境，媒介传播的疾病对孟加拉国宠物种群的发展构成了重大挫折。本研究旨在通过形态-分子方法确定与伴侣动物相关的蜱和跳蚤。2021 年 12 月至 2022 年 5 月，检查了 74 只动物（62 只猫和 12 只狗），其中 17 只（27.4%）猫和 9 只（75.0%）狗有外寄生虫感染，总感染率为 35.1%。形态学检查显示这些动物的外寄生虫为栉头蚤（跳蚤）和璃眼蜱（蜱）。使用线粒体标记物，即细胞色素 c 氧化酶亚单位 1（cox1）进行的遗传分析显示存在两种跳蚤物种，即犬栉头蚤、猫栉头蚤，和一种蜱种血红扇头蜱。对动物主人的访谈表明，35.14%的人对寄生虫感染或寄生虫传播的疾病没有关注。我们的结果表明，跳蚤和蜱是该地区伴侣动物中最常见的外寄生虫。一些外寄生虫的人畜共患病性质可被视为公共卫生警报。这些发现将有助于流行病学家和政策制定者为该地区即将进行的监测和预防策略提供定制指导。
