flea (redirected from Fleas)

flea (fle) a small, wingless, bloodsucking insect; many fleas are parasitic and may act as disease carriers.

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flea (fl)

n.

Any of various small, wingless, bloodsucking insects of the order Siphonaptera that have legs adapted for jumping and are parasitic in the hair and feathers of warm-blooded animals.

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flea

Etymology: AS

a wingless, bloodsucking insect of the order Siphonaptera, some species of which transmit arboviruses to humans by acting as host or vector to the organism.

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flea

a small, wingless, blood-sucking insect. Many fleas are ectoparasites and may act as disease carriers. They are members of the order Siphonaptera. The common recorded species and their principal hosts are listed below:

Ctenocephalides felis—cat, dog, rarely humans, primates, rodents; C. canis—dog, fox; Archaeopsylla erinacei—hedgehogs; Spilopsyllus cuniculi—rabbit, hare; Leptopsylla segnis—house mouse, rat, wild rodents; Ceratophyllus (Nosopsyllus) fasciatus—rat, house mouse; Xenopsylla cheopis—rodents (the plague flea); Pulex irritans—humans; Tunga penetrans—humans; Ceratophyllus gallinae—chickens (European chicken flea); C. columbae—pigeons; C. garei—water fowl; C. niger (Western chicken flea) Dasypsyllus gallinulae—wild birds; Echidnophaga gallinacea—chickens (stickfast or sticktight flea); E. perilis and E. myrmecobii—rabbits; Vermipsylla ioffi, V. perplexa, V. alacurt, V. dorcadia—ruminants and horses.

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flea allergy dermatitis

the inflammatory lesions and self-trauma caused by a hypersensitivity to flea bites. In dogs, this is usually centered on the back over the lumbosacral spine, around the tail base, and inside the hindlegs. Secondary infection is common.

flea antigen

see flea antigen.

flea collar

a collar (or tag) impregnated with insecticide, hung around the animal's neck. There is a slow release of the active compound, either as a vapor or powder, to kill ectoparasites on the body.

flea collar dermatitis

a contact dermatitis in dogs and cats caused by the insecticide-impregnated polyvinyl chloride collars marketed for flea control. Although the initial and most severe skin reaction occurs where direct contact is made, surrounding skin may also become involved. Correct use of the collars minimizes this risk.

flea dip

any of the external parasiticides applied to dogs as a rinse; dipping is not a practical form of application in most companion animals.

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flea

A wingless, 1-4 mm blood-sucking member of order Siphonaptera Vector for Bubonic plague, rickettsiosis Fleas of interest Human flea–Pulex irritans, oriental rat flea–Xenopsylla cheopis, water flea–Cocepod