Rickettsia felis Infection in the Cat Flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

Abstract

We compared fecundity and eclosion rates of two cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) lines, one infected with Rickettsia felis and the other not infected. Egg and feces production were compared between the two flea lines fed on cats; statistical differences were found in feces production (P= .0057) but not egg production (P= 0.1081). Cross-mating studies also were performed; no reduction in fecundity was found when males infected with R. felis were mated with uninfected females. Additionally, the infected flea line had a statistically higher eclosion rate (P = 0.0030) than the non-infected flea line.