Does hair coat length affect flea infestation in naturally infested dogs?

The Siphonaptera are parasitic insects of endothermic animals and Ctenocephalides felis and Pulex irritans are important parasites of dogs. This study evaluated the effect of hair coat length and time of year on the population size of C. felis and P. irritans in naturally infested dogs. Fleas were collected from 14 dogs on a monthly basis for a year (February 2015 to January 2016) at a rural property in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The dogs were divided into two groups based on hair coat length: short coat (coat length < 5.0 cm, n= 7) and long coat (coat length > 5.0 cm, n= 7). In total, 2057 fleas were collected, 1541 of which were C. felis (74.91%) and 516 were P. irritans (25.08%). The number of C. felis and P. irritans individuals was significantly affected by hair coat length and time of year. The variation in flea numbers over the study months was higher in long-coated than in short-coated dogs for the two flea species and flea numbers increased with increasing mean monthly temperatures. The results provide a better understanding of behavioral aspects of flea communities in dogs and may help develop control strategies targeting these parasites.

Does hair coat length affect flea infestation in naturally infested dogs? / A altura da pelagem interfere na população de pulgas em cães naturalmente infestados?

Abstract The Siphonaptera are parasitic insects of endothermic animals and Ctenocephalides felis and Pulex irritans are important parasites of dogs. This study evaluated the effect of hair coat length and time of year on the population size of C. felis and P. irritans in naturally infested dogs. Fleas were collected from 14 dogs on a monthly basis for a year (February 2015 to January 2016) at a rural property in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The dogs were divided into two groups based on hair coat length: short coat (coat length < 5.0 cm, n= 7) and long coat (coat length > 5.0 cm, n= 7). In total, 2057 fleas were collected, 1541 of which were C. felis (74.91%) and 516 were P. irritans (25.08%). The number of C. felis and P. irritans individuals was significantly affected by hair coat length and time of year. The variation in flea numbers over the study months was higher in long-coated than in short-coated dogs for the two flea species and flea numbers increased with increasing mean monthly temperatures. The results provide a better understanding of behavioral aspects of flea communities in dogs and may help develop control strategies targeting these parasites.

Resumo Sifonápteros são insetos parasitos de animais endotérmicos e Ctenocephalides felis e Pulex irritans são importantes parasitos dos cães. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da altura da pelagem de cães sobre as espécies de pulgas em diferentes meses do ano. Foram coletadas mensalmente, durante um ano, 10 a 15 pulgas em 14 cães de uma propriedade rural no município de Bagé, RS, Brasil. Os cães foram divididos em dois grupos: “pelo curto” e ”pelo longo”, com 07 cães em cada grupo, com altura da pelagem inferior e superior a 5 cm, respectivamente. Coletou-se 2.057 pulgas, 1.541 (74,91%) C. felis e 516 (25,08%) P. irritans. O número de indivíduos de C. felis e de P. irritans foi influenciado significativamente, pelo comprimento do pelo dos animais e pelos diferentes meses do ano. Houve maior variação do número de indivíduos das duas espécies, durante os meses, em cães de pelos longos e a curva de aumento populacional acompanhou o aumento das temperaturas médias mensais. Os resultados são importantes para o melhor conhecimento de aspectos comportamentais de comunidades de pulgas em cães e para o planejamento de estratégias de controle desses parasitos.

Larvicidal efficiency of the mushroom Amanitamuscaria (Agaricales, Amanitaceae) against the mosquito Culexquinquefasciatus (Diptera, Culicidae).

INTRODUCTION: We report the larvicidal activity of two formulations from Amanita muscariaagainst Culex quinquefasciatus, as well as the viability of the aqueous extract after storage. METHODS The larvicidal activity of aqueous extract and powder from A. muscaria, and the viability of the aqueous extract after storage, were evaluated. RESULTS The aqueous extract caused larval deaths, which varied from 16.4% to 88.4%. The efficiency of the powder varied from 29.2% to 82.8%. Storage did not interfere with the larvicidal efficiency of the aqueous extract of A. muscaria. CONCLUSIONS These results show the potential of A. muscariato control C. quinquefasciatus.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodidae) in synantropic rodents in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, is responsible for maintaining and transmitting various pathogens, both in animals and human beings, and it is of great sanitary importance. This communication reports the first occurrence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato parasitizing Rattus norvegicus in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and it is also the first record of this tick species parasitizing Rattus rattus in Brazil. The rodents were captured from the port area, located in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We collected 6 larvae of this tick species from 2 male R. rattus individuals, and 3 larvae from 2 female R. norvegicus individuals; parasitized specimens of both rodent species were captured from different sites within the experimental area. This record broadens the number of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato hosts in urban areas, indicating the need for continued monitoring on population density for both R. sanguineus and synanthropic rodents.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodidae) in synantropic rodents in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil / Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodidae) em roedores sinantrópicos no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, is responsible for maintaining and transmitting various pathogens, both in animals and human beings, and it is of great sanitary importance. This communication reports the first occurrence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato parasitizing Rattus norvegicus in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and it is also the first record of this tick species parasitizing Rattus rattus in Brazil. The rodents were captured from the port area, located in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We collected 6 larvae of this tick species from 2 male R. rattus individuals, and 3 larvae from 2 female R. norvegicus individuals; parasitized specimens of both rodent species were captured from different sites within the experimental area. This record broadens the number of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato hosts in urban areas, indicating the need for continued monitoring on population density for both R. sanguineus and synanthropic rodents.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, carrapato-vermelho-do-cão, é responsável por manter e transmitir diversos patógenos tanto para animais quanto para o homem, sendo de grande importância sanitária. Essa comunicação relata a primeira ocorrência de Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato parasitando Rattus norvegicus no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e, pela primeira vez, Rattus rattus no Brasil. Os roedores foram capturados na área portuária da cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Foram coletadas seis larvas desse carrapato em dois machos de R. rattus e três larvas em duas fêmeas de R. norvegicus. As duas espécies de roedores parasitados foram capturadas em pontos distintos na área do experimento. Esse registro amplia o número de hospedeiros de Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato em áreas urbanas, indicando a necessidade de monitoramento contínuo da densidade populacional, tanto de R. sanguineus quanto de roedores sinantrópicos.

Ocorrência de Aprostocetus hagenowii (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), parasitoide de ootecas da barata americana, no Rio Grande do Sul / Occurrence of Aprostocetus hagenowii (Hymenoptera, Eulophidae), parasitoid of the american cockroach oothecae at Rio Grande do Sul

Relata-se a ocorrência do parasitoide Aprostocetus hagenowii (Ratzeburg, 1952) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) em ooteca de Periplaneta americana Linnaeus, 1758 (Blattodea: Blattidae), no extremo Sul do Brasil. As ootecas foram coletadas no mês de dezembro de 2007, no campus da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (31°48'34"S, 52°25'42"O), Município do Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul. Após a coleta, as ootecas foram acondicionadas individualmente em tubos de ensaio, sendo posteriormente mantidas em câmara climatizada a 25°C, com umidade relativa =70 por cento, até a eclosão das ninfas ou emergência dos parasitoides. Uma das ootecas estava parasitada e apresentou 89 parasitoides (79 fêmeas e 10 machos); a referida ocorrência constitui o primeiro registro para o Sul do Brasil. O conhecimento das regiões de ocorrência dos inimigos naturais de P. americana é de grande importância para se traçar uma estratégia de controle das populações desse blatódeo.

It is reported the occurrence of the parasitoid Aprostocetus hagenowii (Ratzeburg, 1952) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in oothecae of Periplaneta americana Linnaeus, 1758 (Blattodea: Blattidae) at the extreme southern Brazil. The oothecae were collected in December of 2007 at the campus of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas (31°48'34"S, 52°25'42"W), city of Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul. After the collection the oothecae were placed individually in glass vials maintained in acclimatized chamber at 25°C, with relative air humidity =70 percent until the eclosion of the nymphs or the emergence of the parasitoids. The infested ootheca presented 89 parasitoids (79 females and 10 males). The referred occurrence represents the first report to southern Brazil. Knowing the regions of occurrence of the natural enemies of P. americana is of great importance when developing a control strategy to the populations of the blatod.