J. Exp. Zool. India Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 245-247, 2015 ISSN 0972-0030 SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF CTENOCEPHALIDES CANIS (CURTIS) Arvind Kumar Department of Zoology, Janta Vedic College, Baraut - 250 611, Baghpat, India. email: [email protected] (Accepted 29 December 2014) ABSTRACT : Surveillance on Ctenocephalides canis was conducted from January 2012 to December2012 in Baraut town of Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 67 dogs were searched for fleas. The higher positivity of dogs was recorded in the month of March as 100% while lowest in October and November. The highest flea index of 5.4 was recorded in May and lowest in December and January. The male female ratio was 1:5.00 in April and 1:1 in December and January. The analysis of data shows increasing flea prevalence at the onset of summer and minimum in winter. Key words : Seasonal abundance, flea, Ctenocephalides canis. INTRODUCTION with minimum and maximum temperature range from 0 0 Fleas are haematophagous insects belonging to the 02 C and 45 C in winter and summer seasons order Siphonaptera. They are important from the medical respectively. The area is bound by one big river Yamuna point of view, since they transmit a number of pathogens. in the west and two small rivers in the east. The water There are about 200 flea species around the world (Borror, table of the area is approximately 5-10 feet. As mentioned 1981). Some of them cause dreaded diseases like plague earlier that the study was conducted from January 2012 and flea born spotted fever in humans and their pets. The to December 2012 on the dog pets. All the dogs were former is transmitted by Xenopsylla species. Plague has pets living in the normal or lesser hygienic conditions. They been a highly dreaded disease since times immemorial were combed for the presence of fleas with the help of and wiped out the human population several times around their owners. The study was restricted up to the fleas the world. It is supposed to be died down or dormant for only while other parasites like lice were ignored. The fleas some times but still not eradicated completely. The later collected so far were treated with 5% KOH for 5 Hours one is a disease of pets and caused by Rickettsia felis and kept in 70% alcohol. As fleas collected were not to and spread by Ctenocephalides feli. It is relatively a be kept for long so they were not passed through alcohol recent zoonosis which was first reported in the US in series for dehydration but mounted in chloral gum and 1994 (Schiriefer et al, 1994) but since then it has been identified. The weather data of New Delhi area Palam detected in humans in Mexico, Brazil, Germany and South were downloaded from the internet as the study area is Korea by PCR amplification (Raolt et al, 2001; Zavala located sixty kilometers away from weather recording et al, 2000; Richter et al, 2002; Choi et al, 2005) and in centre. France and Thailand by serological tests (Parola et al, The general surveillance led to the conclusion of the 2003; Merquez et al, 2002). following parameters. However, little information of the parasites in India is Positivity of the host = (No. of hosts having parasites/ available. In order to address the lack of information of Total no. of hosts searched) × 100. the species and considering the importance of the vector Specific flea index = (No. of fleas obtained/ No. of and to understand its seasonal prevalence, a survey of dogs searched) × 100. the semi urban township Baraut was conducted from Absolute flea index = (No. of fleas obtained/No. of January 2012 to December 2012. The data was collected positive hosts) × 100. to get an idea of chances of outbreak of the said zoonosis. RESULTS MATERIALS AND METHODS Out of the sixty seven dogs searched for the fleas, The study was conducted in a semi urban township only 41 or 61.19% were found positive for fleas. The Baraut located at 60 kilometers north of Delhi. The study positivity of dogs was recorded maximum in the month of area is located at770 10’ E to 770 29’ E longitudes and 280 March and April as 100% and minimum in the months of 42’ N to 290 18’ N latitude. The area is plain without any October and November as 33.33%. A total of 162 fleas hilly or desert traces. The climate of the area is subtropical 246 Arvind Kumar Fig. 1 : Relationship between absolute flea index and temperature and humidity. Table 1 : Seasonal prevalence of Ctenocephalides canis. Month No. of dogs No. of dogs Positivity of No. of flea Absolute Male Female Sex ratio searched positive dogs obtained flea index January 5 2 40 4 2 2 2 1.0 February 5 3 60 12 4 3 9 3.0 March 7 7 100 35 5 7 28 4.0 April 6 6 100 30 5 5 25 5.0 May 6 5 83.33 27 5.4 6 21 3.5 June 5 4 80 12 3 4 8 2.0 July 6 3 50 11 2.6 3 8 2.6 August 5 2 40 8 4 3 5 1.6 September 5 3 60 9 3.0 2 7 3.5 October 6 2 33.33 5 2.5 2 3 1.5 November 6 2 33.33 5 2.5 2 3 1.5 December 5 2 40 4 2.0 2 2 1.0 Total 67 41 61.9 162 4.05 41 121 2.95 belonging to the said species were collected during the recorded in December and January as 1:1 while maximum study period. The flea index and absolute flea index were as 1:5 in April closely followed in March as 1:4.By going calculated monthly. For the entire study period, the total through the data of surveillance it is concluded that specific flea index of 2.41 was recorded while absolute positivity of dogs reaches maximum at the onset of flea index of 3.95 was recorded. Much variation was summer. It reduces afterwards and slightly rises in observed in the flea index during different seasons of the September and reduces again reaching minimum in the year. The maximum absolute flea index of 5.4 was winter. The sex ratio is also minimum in the winter. It recorded in May followed closely by 5.0 in March and also rises and reaches maximum in summer and reduces April. The minimum flea index of 2.0 was recorded in again reaching minimum in the winter and rises December, January and February. Out of the 162 fleas afterwards. collected so far 25.41% or 41 were males and 121 or The graph showing the relationship of monthly 74.69% were females. Thus male to female ratio of 1:2.95 average temperature and relative humidity has been given was obtained. The minimum male to female ratio was Seasonal abundance of C. canis 247 in Fig. 1. It is clear from the graph that temperature of REFERENCES 0 approximately 29 C is conducive for the fleas. The Borror D J, Long D W and Triplehorn C A (1981) Order Siphonaptera. suitability of the temperature is more significant the relative An Introduction to the Study of Insects. 5th ed. WB Sounders humidity. As in the spring season the same temperature Company. Philadelphia but low humidity increases the flea population enormously Cadiergues M C, Deloffre P and France M (2000) Distribution of while the rainy season in September has same fleas from cats in France. 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