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Ectoparasites in urban stray cats in Jerusalem, Israel: differences in infestation patterns of fleas, ticks and permanent ectoparasites
Author(s) -
SALANT H.,
MUMCUOGLU K. Y.,
BANETH G.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1111/mve.12032
Subject(s) - ctenocephalides , biology , veterinary medicine , rhipicephalus sanguineus , ixodidae , infestation , mite , felis , flea , cats , haemaphysalis , acari , zoology , ecology , horticulture , medicine
In a period cross‐sectional study performed to examine ectoparasites on 340 stray cats in Jerusalem, Israel, 186 (54.7%) were infested with the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), 49 (14.4%) with the cat louse, Felicola subrostratus (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae), 41 (12.0%) with the ear mite, Otodectes cynotis (Astigmata: Psoroptidae), three (0.9%) with the fur mite, Cheyletiella blakei (Trobidiformes: Cheyletidae), two (0.6%) with the itch mite Notoedres cati (Astigmata: Sarcoptidae), and 25 (7.3%) with ticks of the species Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodida: Ixodidae), Rhipicephalus turanicus or Haemaphysalis adleri (Ixodida: Ixodidae). A higher number of flea infestations was observed in apparently sick cats ( P < 0.05) and in cats aged < 6 months ( P < 0.05). The proportion of flea‐infested cats ( P < 0.01), as well as the number of fleas per infested cat ( P < 0.01), was higher in autumn than in other seasons. By contrast with findings in cats with flea infestations, rates of infestation with ticks were higher amongst cats with clinical signs ( P < 0.01) and cats aged ≥ 6 months ( P < 0.05). The high rates of ectoparasite infestation in the cats studied constitute a risk for the spread of vector‐borne infections of zoonotic and veterinary importance.