Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) with public health relevance in domestic pigs (Artiodactyla: Suidae) from Argentina

Abstract

The presence of fleas can have a great negative impact on the productivity and well-being of the animals, and cancontribute towards propagation of causative pathogens of important diseases in animals and humans. Fleas and domesticpigs (Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758) are a known association. However, knowledge about fleas on pigs in Argentina isscarce. In this country, swine farming has become one of the main components of livestock production. This activity isprimarily carried out by smallholder farmers, involving a potential risk to humans of acquiring pathogens. Our study wasdeveloped in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, in a region where there is strong swine livestock activity. We provide thefirst record for Argentina of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché, 1835) and Pulex irritans Linnaeus, 1758 in domesticpigs, and the first data for the country of parasitological indexes of fleas in pigs. Ctenocephalides felis felis and P. irritanscause discomfort, nuisance, allergic reactions, and anaemia, and are known as vectors of several pathogens withimportance for public health. The high prevalence and abundance of C. felis felis and P. irritans observed in pigs fromAzul, Buenos Aires, are significant, and the absence of them in other studied localities could correspond toenvironmental characteristics. This paper expands the knowledge about the flea diversity associated with S. scrofa inArgentina and contributes to the knowledge of the ecology and biology of two cosmopolitan fleas and with public healthrelevance. This information is important for future epidemiological studies, as well as to establish prevention and controlmeasures where appropriate.