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Les hérissons d’Europe sont nombreux à vivre en région urbaine et péri-urbaine. Ils sont souvent parasités par des arthropodes tels que les puces et les tiques. En 2018, 71 hérissons d’Europe admis au centre de soins de la faune sauvage de l’Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire ont été inspectés et leurs ectoparasites ont été récoltés et identifiés. Au total, 1807 tiques ont été récoltées dont 1793 Ixodes hexagonus et 14 Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. De plus, 650 puces ont également été prélevées sur 36 hérissons parmi ces 71, toutes appartenant à l’espèce Archaeopsylla erinacei. Parmi ces puces, 147 ont été analysées par PCR pour rechercher de l’ADN de bactéries appartenant aux genres Bartonella et Rickettsia. Finalement, 19 puces abritaient de l’ADN de bartonelles – dont 4, Bartonella henselae – et 137 contenaient de l’ADN de rickettsie. Cette étude est la deuxième à rapporter en France le portage de Bartonella henselae, l’agent de la maladie des griffes du chat, par des puces Archaeopsylla erinacei prélevées sur des hérissons d’Europe

Archaeopsylla erinacei erinacei (Bouch��, 1835) Type depository. unknown. Hosts. Erinaceomorpha��� Erinaceus concolor, Erinaceus sp.; Carnivora��� Vulpes vulpes. Distribution in Turkey. Adana (Hopkins & Rothschild 1953); Ankara (Din��er 1971); Amasya (Taşova) (Orhan & Beaucournu 1986); Bursa (Girisgin et al. 2014); Van (Goz et al. 2016)., Published as part of Keskin, Adem, Hastriter, Michael W. & Beaucournu, Jean-Claude, 2018, Fleas (Siphonaptera) of Turkey: species composition, geographical distribution and host associations, pp. 211-228 in Zootaxa 4420 (2) on page 224, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/1250806, {"references":["Hopkins, G. H. E. & Rothschild, M. (1953) An Illustrated Catalogue of the Rothschild Collection of Fleas (Siphonaptera) in the British Museum (Natural History) with Keys and Short Descriptions for the Identification of Families, Genera, Species and Subspecies. Vol. I. Tungidae and Pulicidae. The Trustees of the British Museum, London, 361 pp.","Dincer, S. (1971) Ankara ve cevresinde kedi (Felis domesticus), kopek (Canis familiaris) ve tilki (Vulpes vulpes) ' lerde bulunan pire (Siphonaptera) ' ler uzerinde sistematik arastirmalar. Ankara Universitesi Veterinerlik Fakultesi Yayinlari, Ankara, 94 pp. [in Turkish]","Orhan, V. & Beaucournu, J. C. (1986) Donnees nouvelles sur les puces de Turquie [Siph.]. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France, 91 (1 - 2), 53 - 63.","Girisgin, A. O., Senlik, B., Aydin, L. & Cirak, V. Y. (2014) Ectoparasites of hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) from Turkey. Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 128 (7 - 8), 315 - 318. https: // doi. org / 10.2376 / 0005 - 9366 - 128 - 315","Goz, Y., Yilmaz, A. B., Aydin, A. & Dicle, Y. (2016) Ticks and fleas infestation on east hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) in Van Province, Eastern Region of Turkey. Journal of Arthropod-borne Diseases, 10 (1), 50 - 54."]}

In the present study, a molecular proteomics (MALDI-TOF/MS) approach was used as a tool for identifying flea vectors. We measured the MS spectra from 38 flea specimens of 5 species including Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis, Archaeopsylla erinacei, Xenopsylla cheopis and Stenoponia tripectinata. A blind test performed with 24 specimens from species included in a library spectral database confirmed that MALDI-TOF/MS is an effective tool for discriminating flea species. Although fresh and 70% ethanol-conserved samples subjected to MALDI-TOF/MS in blind tests were correctly classified, only MS spectra of quality from fresh specimens were sufficient for accurate and significant identification. A cluster analysis highlighted that the MALDI Biotyper can be used for studying the phylogeny of fleas.

Among 310 fleas collected from dogs and cats in Germany, Rickettsia felis was detected in all specimens (34) of Archaeopsylla erinacei (hedgehog flea) and in 9% (24/226) of Ctenocephalides felis felis (cat flea). R. helvetica was detected in 1 Ceratophyllus gallinae (hen flea).

To the Editor: Rickettsia felis belongs to the spotted fever group of rickettsia. The pathogenic role of this intracellular Proteobacteria in humans has been reported in patients from the United States (Texas) (1), Mexico (2), Germany (3), Brazil, and France (4). R. felis is widely distributed, is associated with blood-sucking arthropods, and has been isolated from fleas in several countries (5). To obtain new information about the distribution of R. felis in France and potential vectors/ reservoirs of this emerging pathogen, 550 fleas were collected from 82 dogs and 91 cats in 7 widely distributed locations in France (Bordeaux, Toulouse, Cosnes-Cours sur Loire, Dijon, Moulins, Limoges, and Aix-en-Provence). Specimens were collected by combing, recorded, and stored at –20°C. Samples were shipped on dry ice to the entomologic laboratory of the Institute of Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology in Munich, Germany, and species identification was performed by using light microscopy and following the determination key of Hopkins and Rothschild (6). Because infestation levels varied (1–150 fleas/animal), we randomly analyzed 1–8 fleas (mean 3.4) from each host animal. We homogenized fleas individually in 80 μL of phosphate-buffered saline by using 5-mm steel beads in a RETSCH Tissue Lyser Mixer Mill 300 (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany). A total of 100 μL of ATL buffer and 20 μL of proteinase K (QIAGEN) were added, and the homogenate was incubated at 56°C in a thermomixer (Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany) until the tissues were lysed. DNA was extracted from each flea by using a QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (QIAGEN) according to the manufacturer’s instructions (tissue protocol) and stored at –20°C until used in a PCR. PCR amplification of rickettsial DNA was performed by using previously described oligonucleotide primer pairs Rp CS.877p/Rp CS.1258n targeting the citrate synthase (gltA) gene and, for the positive samples, Rr 190.70p/Rr 190.602n targeting the outer membrane protein A (ompA) gene (7). Amplification was conducted in 50-μL volumes that contained 5 μL of DNA, 30 μL of distilled water, 10 μL of 5× Taq buffer (Roche, Mannheim, Germany), 3 μL of 25 mmol/L MgCl2 (Roche), 1 μL of 10 mmol/L deoxyncleotide triphosphates (Roche), 0.25 μL of each primer (100 μM), and 0.5 μL (5 U/mL) of Taq polymerase (Roche). Conditions for the gltA and ompA PCRs were as described by Bertolotti et al. (8). Negative and positive controls were included in all PCRs. All PCR products were separated by electrophoresis on 1.5% agarose gels at 100 V for 60 min and examined under UV light. For both genes, positive samples were purified by using the QIAquick PCR Purification Kit (QIAGEN) and sent for sequencing to the MWG Biotech Company (Martinried, Germany). Sequences were compared with those of previously characterized rickettsia in GenBank by using basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) analysis. Five species of fleas were identified: Ctenocephalides felis (500, 224 from dogs and 276 from cats), C. canis (37 from dogs), Pulex irritans (11 from dogs), Spilopsyllus cuniculi (1 from a cat), and Archaeopsylla erinacei (1 from a cat). Five dogs had mixed populations of fleas; 3 of these had P. irritans and C. felis, and 2 had C. felis and C. canis. One cat had P. irritans and C. felis, and another cat had S. cuniculi and C. felis. A total of 52 (19%) of the 272 fleas from dogs and 44 (16%) of the 278 fleas from cats were positive for both the gltA and ompA genes. Positive samples were obtained from all locations. Prevalence ranged from 6% (Dijon) to 43% (Toulouse) for dogs and from 3% (Moulins) to 37% (Bordeaux) for cats (Table). Of 550 fleas, 96 were positive for both genes (gltA and ompA) and 3 of 5 species of fleas were infected: 10 with C. canis, 85 with C. felis, and 1 with A. erinacei. All sequences matched gltA and ompA genes from R. felis (similarity 99%–100%). Table Prevalence of Rickettsia felis in fleas from dogs and cats, France* Our investigation provides new information about distribution of R. felis and widespread flea infection with R. felis in France. A total of 88% of infected fleas were C. felis, but we found infected C. canis in Bordeaux and Toulouse and infected A. erinacei in Limoges. We report the presence in France of R. felis in C. canis and A. erinacei in France. R. felis in dog fleas in Uruguay and in hedgehog fleas in Algeria has been reported (9,10). Our findings indicate that these 2 flea species may be vectors of human R. felis rickettsiosis in France.

Background: Ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and fleas (Siphonaptera) are the major vectors of pathogens threatening animals and human healths. The aim of our study was to detect the infestation rates of East Hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor) with ticks and fleas in Van Province, eastern region of Turkey. Methods: We examined fleas and ticks infestation patterns in 21 hedgehogs, collected from three suburbs with the greater of number gardens. In order to estimate flea and tick infestation of hedgehogs, we immobilized the ectoparasites by treatment the body with a insecticide trichlorphon (Neguvon®-Bayer). Results: On the hedgehogs, 60 ixodid ticks and 125 fleas were detected. All of the ixodid ticks were Rhipicephalus turanicus and all of the fleas were Archaeopsylla erinacei. Infestation rate for ticks and fleas was detected 66.66 % and 100 %, respectively. Conclusion: We detected ticks (R. turanicus) and fleas (A. erinacei) in hedgehogs at fairly high rates. Since many ticks and fleas species may harbor on hedgehogs and transmit some tick-borne and flea-borne patogens, this results are the important in terms of veterinary and public health.

Background The objective of these two GCP multicentre European clinical field studies was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of a new imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (Seresto®, Bayer AnimalHealth, Investigational Veterinary Product(IVP)) in dogs and cats naturally infested with fleas and/or ticks in comparison to a dimpylat collar ("Ungezieferband fuer Hunde/fuer Katzen", Beaphar, Control Product (CP)). Methods 232 (IVP) and 81 (CP) cats and 271(IVP) and 129 (CP) dogs were treated with either product according to label claims and formed the safety population. Flea and tick counts were conducted in monthly intervals for up to 8 months in the efficacy subpopulation consisting of 118 (IVP) + 47 (CP) cats and 197 (IVP) + 94 (CP) dogs. Efficacy was calculated as reduction of infestation rate within the same treatment group and statistically compared between the two treatment groups. Results Preventive efficacy against fleas in cats/dogs varied in the IVP group between 97.4%/94.1% and 100%/100% (overall mean: 98.3%/96.7%) throughout the 8 month period and in the CP group between 57.1%/28.2% and 96.1%/67.8% (overall mean: 79.3%/57.9%). Preventive efficacy against ticks in cats/dogs varied in the IVP group between 94.0%/91.2% and 100%/100% (overall mean: 98.4%/94.7%) throughout the 8 month period and in the CP group between 90.7%/79.9% and 100%/88.0% (overall mean: 96.9%/85.6%). The IVP group was statistically non-inferior to the CP group, and on various assessment days, statistical superiority was proven for flea and tick count reduction in dogs and cats. Both treatments proved to be safe in dogs and cats with mainly minor local observations at the application site. There was moreover, no incidence of any mechanical problem with the collar in dogs and cats during the entire study period. Conclusions The imidacloprid/flumethrin collar proved to reduce tick counts by at least 90% and flea counts by at least 95% for a period of at least 7-8 months in cats and dogs under field conditions. Therefore, it can be used as sustainable long-term preventative, covering the whole flea and tick season.