Associated factors contributing abundance of fleas on rodents in plague
endemic area of Karatu district, northern Tanzania.
Abstract
Fleas are small wingless hematophagous insect that are frequently
infesting on rodents and other small mammals while acting as vectors of
many zoonotic diseases including plague, a disease challenging public
health in many part of the world including Tanzania. 291 rodents from
nine species were captured with Sherman traps in farm land, peridomestic
areas, bush and forest buffer zone across wet and dry season in plague
and non-plague foci villages. Captured rodents were anaesthetized and
190 fleas comprising four species were collected and morphologically
identified with available dichotomous key. Dinopsyllus lypusus
were (46.32%) , Ctenophthalmus spp (26.84%), Xenopsylla
brasiliensis (16.32%) and Xenopsylla cheopis (10.53%). 38.42%
of fleas were collected from Mastomy natalensis, 22.63% from
Lemniscomys striatus and 18.42% from Rattus rattus.
Highest flea infestation prevalence was found on R.rattus and was
strongly associated with X.cheopis and X.brasiliensis.
Specific flea index of X.cheopis on R.rattus was (01) in
plague foci and (<0.5) in non-plague foci. Result of GLM final
model indicated that flea abundance was significant influenced by rodent
species ( p < .001), season ( p= .031), habitats
( p= .02), rodent weight ( p < .001), rodent sex
( p < .001) and plague locations ( p= .02).
There was significance difference in variation of flea abundance between
rodent sexes (W = 9158.5, p = .009) and weak positive correlation
between rodent’s weight and fleas abundance ( R= 0.17,
p< 0.05). Despite that, specific flea index of
X.cheopis on rats in both plague foci and non-plague foci
villages were not indicating alarming condition that would require
urgent control of fleas, still society should consistently adhere to
rodent and fleas control methods especially in farm land and
peridomestic areas where flea abundance is high and human activities are
customarily implemented.