Infestations of flea species on small, wild mammals in the provinces of Aydin and Manisa in the Aegean Region, Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine flea species infesting small, wild rodents and insectivorous wild mammals of the Aegean Region in Turkey. A total of 52 small, wild mammals, comprising one insectivorous and four rodent species, namely Crocidura suaveolens, Mus macedonicus, Apodemus flavicollis, Microtus levis, and Apodemus witherbyi, were captured. Fleas were collected, preserved in 70% alcohol, and labelled for identification in the field. In the laboratory, they were cleared in 10% KOH and mounted with Hoyer's medium. The fleas were identified as Stenoponia tripectinata (Tiraboschi, 1902) from Mus macedonicus (12.8%) and Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc, 1800) from M. macedonicus (2.5%) and also from M. levis (100%). One out of the 5 C. suaveolens was infested by S. tripectinata. Two species of fleas were found on 8 of the 47 rodents and one of the 5 insectivorous mammals was infested by S. tripectinata. The flea species and their hosts should be further investigated for zoonotic pathogens.