Discrimination of host sex by a haematophagous ectoparasite

Khokhlova, Irina S.; Serobyan, Vahan; Degen, A. Allan; Krasnov, Boris R.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.10.018

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The mean abundance and prevalence of the dominant species of chigger mite on male voles were higher than those on female voles. The difference in infestation between the two sexes of E. miletus reflects the influence of the vole's sex on ectoparasite infestation and is in accordance with previous results obtained from various ectoparasite taxa infesting different host species (Lareschi, ; Khokhlova et al ., ). Several factors may explain this sex bias.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Analysis of ectoparasites (chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas and sucking lice) of the Yunnan red‐backed vole (Eothenomys miletus) sampled throughout its range in southwest China

Peng

Guo

Song

et al. 2015

Medical Vet Entomology

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The Yunnan red-backed vole Eothenomys miletus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is an endemic rodent species and reservoir host of zoonoses in southwest China. Based on a large host sample (2463 voles collected from 39 localities between 2001 and 2013), a general analysis of four categories of ectoparasite (fleas, sucking lice, chigger mites and gamasid mites) on E. miletus across its entire range of distribution was made. This analysis identified a total of 71 895 ectoparasites belonging to 320 species (30 species of flea, 9 of sucking louse, 106 of gamasid mite and 175 of chigger mite) with a high prevalence (87%), mean abundance (29.19) and mean intensity (33.69). Of the 18 vector species of zoonoses found on E. miletus, the flea Ctenophthalmus quadratus (Siphonaptera: Hystrichopsyllidae) and chigger mite Leptotrombidium scutellare (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) were the dominant species; these are the main vectors of zoonoses in China. All of the dominant parasite species showed an aggregated distribution pattern. Male voles harboured more species of parasite than females. Chigger mites represented the most abundant species group on voles and their prevalence was positively correlated with mean abundance (r = 0.73; P < 0.05). As a single rodent species, E. miletus has a high potential to harbour abundant ectoparasites with high species diversity and high rates of infestation. The sex of the vole affects ectoparasite infestation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Analysis of ectoparasites (chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas and sucking lice) of the Yunnan red‐backed vole (Eothenomys miletus) sampled throughout its range in southwest China

Peng

Guo

Song

et al. 2015

Medical Vet Entomology

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“…For plague and murine typhus, one measurement of risk is the flea index, which assesses the average number of fleas per rat (Grubbs 1927). This metric is calculated at the population level, as ectoparasites are often unevenly distributed among hosts (Krasnov et al 2007, Khokhlova et al 2009) based on differences in host grooming (Bordes et al 2007;Hawlena et al 2007), host sex, and host age (Khokhlova et al 2011). Previous evaluations of the flea index have determined that values of less than one flea per rat represent minimal risk of epidemic disease spread to humans, even in the presence of pathogens (Pollitzer 1954, Dennis et al 1999.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preliminary Survey of Ectoparasites and Associated Pathogens from Norway Rats in New York City

Frye

Firth

Bhat

et al. 2015

Journal of Medical Entomology

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The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a reservoir of many zoonotic pathogens and lives in close proximity to humans in urban environments. Human infection with rodent-borne disease occurs either directly through contact with a rat or its excreta, or indirectly via arthropod vectors such as fleas and ticks. Here, we report on the diversity and abundance of ectoparasitic arthropod species and associated pathogenic bacteria from 133 Norway rats trapped over a 10-mo period in Manhattan, New York, NY. Norway rats were host to the tropical rat mite [Ornithonyssus bacoti (Hirst)], the spiny rat mite (Laelaps echidnina Berlese), Laelaps nuttalli Hirst, the spined rat louse [Polyplax spinulosa (Burmeister)], and the Oriental rat flea [(Xenopsylla cheopis) (Rothschild)], with an average of 1.7 species per individual. A flea index of 4.1 X. cheopis was determined, whereas previous studies in New York City reported 0.22 fleas per rat. Multiple species of pathogenic Bartonella were identified from Oriental rat fleas that were related to Bartonella tribocorum, Bartonella rochalimae, and Bartonella elizabethae. However, no evidence of Yersinia pestis or Rickettsia spp. infection was detected in fleas. The identification of multiple medically important ectoparasite species in New York City underscores the need for future efforts to fully characterize the diversity and distribution of ectoparasites on Norway rats, and assess the risk to humans of vector-borne disease transmission.

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“…Two main hypotheses regarding male-biased parasitism have been proposed (Khokhlova et al 2010 ). The first hypothesis explains male-biased parasitism by the lower immunocompetence of male hosts owing to the immunosuppressive effect of androgens (Zuk and McKean 1996 ; Harrison et al 2010 ; Khokhlova et al 2011 ; Krasnov et al 2011a ). Moreover, males may invest less energy in immune responses than females because males engage in intrasexual competition and courtship (Sheridan et al 2000 ; Harrison et al 2010 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, we found male-biased parasitism only in A. agrarius and M. glareolus , not in A. flavicollis . Presumably, because of lower immunocompetence males represent a more suitable patch for parasites than females (Zuk and McKean 1996 ; Harrison et al 2010 ; Khokhlova et al 2011 ; Krasnov et al 2011a ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To allow an accurate description of the pathogen transmission and parasite infestation, extensive research has been conducted on the distribution of fleas in host populations (Morand et al 2004 , Klimpel et al 2007 ; Khokhlova et al 2009a ; Krasnov et al 2011a , b ; Kiffner et al 2013 ; Kowalski et al 2014 ). Evidence has shown that males of higher vertebrates are infested by more parasites than females (Khokhlova et al 2011 ; Krasnov et al 2005 , 2011a ; Kiffner et al 2014 ). In polygynous mating systems, intra-sexual competition favors males that invest more in secondary sexual traits and grow larger.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Sex differences in flea infections among rodent hosts: is there a male bias?

et al. 2014

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Recognizing patterns of parasite distribution among wildlife hosts is of major importance due to growing risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans. Thus, sex-dependent parasite distribution in higher vertebrates is extensively studied, and males are often found more parasitized than females. Male-biased parasitism may be the result of weaker immunocompetence of male hosts owing to the immunosuppressive effect of androgens. Moreover, larger hosts (males) may demonstrate higher parasite infestation levels than smaller individuals (females), as they constitute a better nutritional resource for parasites and provide them with a greater variety of niches. In the present work, we investigated sex-dependent patterns of flea distribution among three common rodent species (Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus). We hypothesized that males have a higher flea infestation than females. We confirm male-biased parasitism in A. agrarius and M. glareolus, but not in A. flavicollis. Additionally, flea infestation increased with body mass in A. agrarius, but not in A. flavicollis and M. glareolus. The detected differences in parasite distribution among sexes are probably the result of immunosuppressive effects of androgens and spatial behavior of males.

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Discrimination of host sex by a haematophagous ectoparasite

Cited by 21 publications

References 53 publications

Analysis of ectoparasites (chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas and sucking lice) of the Yunnan red‐backed vole (Eothenomys miletus) sampled throughout its range in southwest China

Analysis of ectoparasites (chigger mites, gamasid mites, fleas and sucking lice) of the Yunnan red‐backed vole (Eothenomys miletus) sampled throughout its range in southwest China

Preliminary Survey of Ectoparasites and Associated Pathogens from Norway Rats in New York City

Sex differences in flea infections among rodent hosts: is there a male bias?

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