Molecular Detection of Dipylidium caninum in Isolated Fleas of Dogs in Meshkinshahr County, Northwest of Iran

Fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) are considered as highly specialized bloodsucking on mammals such as humans, livestock, dog, cat, rabbit, squirrels, rats, and mice. The desire for blood feeding from warm-blooded animals has led to becoming an intermediate host for some tapeworms like Dipylidium. The aim of this study was to detect D. caninum larval infection in fleas of dogs living in Meshkinshahr County, northwest of Iran.

Fleas were collected from 42 dogs using brushing the hair in Meshkinshahr for one year (2014-2015). After the morphological study, fleas were preserved in 90% ethanol for molecular identification. After DNA extraction, the 28S ribosomal RNA gene (~670 bp) of D. caninum was amplified using specific primers. Finally, the PCR products were sequenced.

Overs, 974 fleas were collected from the dogs. In the morphological study, three species Ctenocephalides canis, Ct. felis, and Pulex irritans were identified. PCR and sequence analysis results showed that 4 isolates Ct. Canis were infected with D. caninum. Also, no positive specimens were isolated from the other two species.

Ct. canis is reported as the most important species of fleas in transferring D. caninum in that region.