Fleas - poultry parasites

The two most common fleas of veterinary importance are Ceratophyllus gallinae and Echidnophaga gallinacea. Both these fleas are parasites of domestic poultry. C. gallinae is the most common of the two and if excessive numbers are allowed to occur anemia can result. C. gallinae will also bite humans and household pets and therefore can become household pests if not properly eradicated. Female E. gallinacea- the stick-tight flea- usually burrows into the comb or wattles on poultry following fertilization. A nodule results from this activity and within this nodule the eggs are laid. Once hatched the vermiform larvae exit the nodule and drop onto the substrate where they feed on organic debri. The burrowing into and subsequent emergence of larvae cause pathology to the skin tissue and can result in areas of ulceration. This can easily lead to secondary bacterial infection and with heavy flea burdens death can result. The stick-tight flea can occur at densities of over one hundred individuals per bird all concentrated around the head. Although difficult to determine it is probably best to assume that any infection is detrimental to egg laying or weight gain and so immediate action on discovery of this insect is the best policy. It is also worth noting that Echidnophaga will attack other mammals, mostly dogs, causing nodules around the eyes and between the pads on the paws.

Fleas are important from a medical view point because they transmit harmful pathogens from animals to humans. These pathogens cause plague and murine typhus although as these are of medical importance rather than veterinary they will not be discussed here. In the case of Spilopsyllus cuniculi, the rabbit flea transmission of Fibromavirus myxomatosis (myxomatosis) has been a advantage in attempts to control rabbit populations. Combined with the production losses caused by pathogen transmission is that seen in the sticktight flea which, if present in large enough numbers can cause anaemia and emaciation in poultry. This is often combined with reduced egg production and if infestation is particularly heavy then death of birds will result, especially those that are young or old. The sticktight flea is not a active jumping flea rather a burrow in and stay flea. Fleas have a less specific range of hosts than Anoplura and Mallophaga which increases the chance of pathogen transmission.

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