Patterns of flea infestation in rodents and insectivores from intensified agro-ecosystems, Northwest Spain.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fleas frequently infest small mammals and play important vectoring roles in the epidemiology of (re)emerging zoonotic disease. Rodent outbreaks in intensified agro-ecosystems of North-West Spain have been recently linked to periodic zoonotic diseases spillover to local human populations. Obtaining qualitative and quantitative information about the composition and structure of the whole flea and small mammal host coexisting communities is paramount to understand disease transmission cycles and to elucidate the disease-vectoring role of flea species. The aims of this research were to: (i) characterise and quantify the flea community parasiting a small mammal guild in intensive farmlands in North-West Spain; (ii) determine and evaluate patterns of co-infection and the varia

SUBMITTER: Herrero-Cofreces S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7789319 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature