title: Faunal distribution of fleas and their blood-feeding preferences using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays from farm animals and human shelters in a new rural region of southern Iran.
abstract: Blood sucking insects, such as fleas, are responsible for the transmission of many infectious disease-causing agents which impose an intolerable burden on the health of people living particularly in endemic parts of the world. Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) are found in many parts of the world including Iran. Both adult male and female fleas are obligatory ectoparasites. They are one of the main public health concerns as a result of their nuisance or the potential to act as vectors of a number of medically-important pathogens. The current study was conducted to examine the geographical distribution and fauna of fleas and their anthropophagic index in part of Fars province, southern Iran. This study was the first to be done in Iran. A total of 20 villages were randomly selected. From October 2011 to May 2012, adult fleas were collected by direct hand catch from human to animal shelters. Overall 848 fleas, most of which were blood-fed, were captured from the floor or the body of farm animal hosts (cattle, sheep, goat and hens). Only two different genera of fleas were identified, the main species (99.76 %) was human flea, Pulex irritans. The village of Shamsabad was the most heavily infested area. P. irritans had an anthropophagic index of 15 % using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). It could be concluded that P. irritans is widely distributed in this area. Based on their blood feeding activity, fleas thus posed a serious health threat to residents and their economically important livestock in this part of Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Djaefar
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Moemenbellah-Fard
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71348-14336, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahador
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shahriari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fakoorziba
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 71645-111, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoume
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
keywords: ELISA; Fauna; Fleas; Iran; Pulex