Wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and cape hare (Lepus capensis) are hosts for different flea species and have high medical and veterinary importance, fleas of wild leporids are of special concern since they can act as vectors for diseases, including zoonoses. This study was designed to identify flea species infesting these animals with the description of their epidemiology and the assessment of factors influencing their infestation importance in five provinces located in northern Algeria, to evaluate their implication in the transmission of pathogens. In total, 86 wild leporids were checked from July 2014 to September 2020. Fleas were collected from the fur of animals with tweezers and identified using appropriate keys. The findings showed that 32/86 (37.2%) of animals were infested with fleas. Four flea's species were identified on cape hares Ctenocefalides felis (51.06% of fleas identified), Ctenocefalides canis 34.04%, Spilopsyllus cuniculi 10.63%, and Archaeopsylla erinacei 4.25%, with a seasonal peak in December. The same, four flea species were found parasitizing wild rabbits Spilopsyllus cuniculi 90.7%, Ctenocefalides felis 4.65%, Ctenocefalides canis 2.32%, and Pulex irritans 2.32%, with the highest importance in March and April. Moreover, this study showed no influence of female gestations on the rate of flea hare infestations. However, S cuniculi rate was correlated with the breeding cycle of the wild rabbits. These findings revealed that, the temperature and the humidity can be important factors that influence on wild leporids flea infestation.
Tularemia is a zoonosis caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Leporids are primary sources of human infections in the northern hemisphere. Africa is classically considered free of tularemia, but recent data indicate that this dogma might be wrong. We assessed the presence of this disease in wild leporids in Algeria. Between 2014 and 2018, we collected 74 leporids carcasses from spontaneously dead or hunted animals. Francisella tularensis DNA was detected by specific real-time PCR tests in 7/36 (19.44%) Cape hares (Lepus capensis) and 5/38 (13.15%) wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Known tularemia arthropod vectors infested half of the PCR-positive animals. At necropsy, F. tularensis-infected animals presented with an enlarged spleen (n = 12), enlarged adrenal glands (12), liver discoloration (12), hemorrhages (11), and pneumonia (11). Immunohistological examination of liver tissue from one animal was compatible with the presence of F. tularensis. Our study demonstrates the existence of tularemia in lagomorphs in Algeria. It should encourage investigations to detect this disease among the human population of this country.
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