Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xm8r8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-06T23:00:32.983Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Regional Distribution of Fleas on Rodents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

George W. McCoy
Affiliation:
Passed Assistant Surgeon, United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service
Maurice B. Mitzmain
Affiliation:
Assistant, Plague Laboratory, United States Public Health and Marine Hospital Service, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Extract

It would appear from the data presented that the favourite location for the common rat fleas of this vicinity, Ceratophyllus fasciatus, Bosc., and Loemopsylla cheopis, Roth., is about the hind quarters of the rat, while Ctenopsyllus musculi (Dugès), Wagner, prefers the region of the head and neck.

The same regional distribution of rat fleas was found in the case of the guinea-pigs.

Squirrel fleas are most numerous on the hind quarters.

These observations, while they are not to be insisted upon as throwing any special light upon the regional distribution of buboes in naturally infected plague rats, are of particular interest in showing the very constant preference of Ct. musculi for the region of the head and neck.

In regard to the other species of fleas it should be borne in mind that the skin areas are not of equal dimensions; that of the head and neck being smallest; that of the hind quarters being the largest; and the skin area of the fore quarters being between these in size.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1909

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Journal of Hygiene, Vol. vii. No. 3, p. 386.Google Scholar

2 Journal American Medical Association, 04 11, 1908, Vol, l. No. 15.Google Scholar

3 Public Health Reports, Washington, Vol. xxxiii. No. 30, p. 1051.Google Scholar

1 Journal of Hygiene, Vol. vi. No. 4, p. 465.Google Scholar

2 Report on Plague in Queensland, 19001907, p. 143, Ham, B. Burnett.Google Scholar

1 Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. v. No. 5.Google Scholar