ECTOPARASITES
WHAT IS
ECTOPARASITE?
An ectoparasite is a type of parasite that lives on the
outside of its host's body. Instead of living inside the
host like internal parasites, such as worms,
ectoparasites attach themselves to the skin, hair, or
feathers of animals or humans to feed on their blood,
skin cells, or other bodily fluids.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO
STUDY ECTOPARASITES?
Studying ectoparasites is important because it helps
us understand how these pesky creatures affect the
health of humans and animals. By learning about
their life cycles, behaviors, and the diseases they can
transmit, we can develop better ways to prevent
and control infestations.
Let's take a
look at some
examples
FLEAS
(CTENOCEPHALIDES)
TICKS
(IXODIDAE)
LICE
(PHTHIRAPTERA)
MITES
(ACARINA)
FLEAS
TINY PARASITIC INSECTS THAT FEED ON
THE BLOOD OF MAMMALS
HAVE FLAT, WINGLESS BODIES ADAPTED FOR
MOVING THROUGH FUR OR FEATHERS, AND
STRONG LEGS FOR JUMPING
CAN BE FOUND IN HOMES, YARDS, AND THE
NATURAL HABITATS OF THEIR HOSTS
TYPICALLY DARK BROWN OR BLACK IN COLOR
(CTENOCEPHALIDES)
FLEAS
(LIFE CYCLE)
3
2
4
LARVAE FORM
PUPAE
ADULTS
HATCH FROM
PUPAE
EGGS SHED BY
FEMALE FLEA INTO
ENVIRONMENT
1
EGGS HATCH INTO
LARVAE
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CAUGHT FLEAS?
FLEA BITES CAN CAUSE INTENSE ITCHING AND
IRRITATION ON THE SKIN.
FLEA BITES CAN CAUSE ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN
SOME INDIVIDUALS. WHEN BITTEN, ALLERGIC
PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE SEVERE ITCHING, RASHES,
HIVES, OR DIFFICULTY BREATHING.
FLEAS CAN SPREAD DISEASES TO BOTH ANIMALS AND
HUMANS. THEY CAN CARRY BACTERIA THAT CAUSE
ILLNESSES
TICKS
TICKS HAVE SMALL, OVAL-SHAPED BODIES AND HAVE
EIGHT LEGS AND A TOUGH, LEATHERY EXOSKELETON
HAVE A SPECIALIZED FEEDING STRUCTURE CALLED
A HYPOSTOME, WHICH THEY USE TO ATTACH TO THE
HOST AND FEED ON BLOOD
COMMONLY FOUND IN REGIONS WITH WARM AND
HUMID CLIMATES. THEY PREFER AREAS WITH TALL
GRASS, BRUSH, OR VEGETATION, WHICH ALLOWS
THEM TO CLIMB ONTO PASSING HOSTS.
(IXODIDAE)
3
LARVAE SHEDS ITS
SKIN AND BECOME
EIGHT LEGGED NYMPH
TICKS
(LIFE CYCLE)
4
2
NYMPH WILL DEVELOP
INTO AN ADULT TICK
AND IS READY TO HUNT
FOR HOST
EGGS HATCH INTO
LARVAE AND GO
SEARCH FOR BLOOD
MEAL
1
TICKS BEGIN LIFE AS
EGGS
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CAUGHT TICKS?
TICKS CAN CAUSE LYME DISEASE BY TRANSMITTING
THE BACTERIA BORRELIA BURGDORFERI THROUGH
THEIR BITE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO SYMPTOMS SUCH AS
FEVER, FATIGUE, JOINT PAIN, AND SKIN RASH.
TICKS CAN CAUSE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER
BY TRANSMITTING A BACTERIA CALLED RICKETTSIA
RICKETTSII THROUGH THEIR BITES, WHICH CAN LEAD
TO A SERIOUS ILLNESS CHARACTERIZED BY
SYMPTOMS SUCH AS FEVER, HEADACHE, RASH, AND
CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING IF NOT TREATED
PROMPTLY.
LICE
ARE SMALL, WINGLESS INSECTS WITH FLATTENED BODIES
ADAPTED FOR CLINGING TO THE HAIR OR FEATHERS OF
THEIR HOSTS.
THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LICE:
HEAD LICE - LIVE ON THE SCALP AND HAIR
BODY LICE - RESIDE ON CLOTHING AND
BEDDING BUT FEED ON THE BODY
PUBIC LICE - INFEST THE PUBIC HAIR REGION
(PHTHIRAPTERA)
LICE
(LIFE CYCLE)
MALE
FEMALE
1
FEMALE LICE LAIDS
NITS (LICE EGGS)
2
EGGS HATCHES TO
RELEASE NYMPHS
3
NYMPHS MATURE
AND BECOME
ADULTS
LICE
LICE FEED ON BLOOD BY BITING THE SCALP OR OTHER
AREAS, CAUSING INTENSE ITCHING, IRRITATION, AND
SCRATCHING THAT CAN LEAD TO SKIN INFECTIONS
AND DISCOMFORT.
CONTINUOUS SCRATCHING OF THE SCALP DUE
TO LICE INFESTATION CAN CREATE OPENINGS
IN THE SKIN, MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.
(PHTHIRAPTERA)
LICE
LICE FEED ON BLOOD BY BITING THE SCALP OR OTHER
AREAS, CAUSING INTENSE ITCHING, IRRITATION, AND
SCRATCHING THAT CAN LEAD TO SKIN INFECTIONS
AND DISCOMFORT.
CONTINUOUS SCRATCHING OF THE SCALP DUE
TO LICE INFESTATION CAN CREATE OPENINGS
IN THE SKIN, MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO
BACTERIAL INFECTIONS.
(PHTHIRAPTERA)
MITES
MITES ARE TINY ARACHNIDS WITH OVAL-SHAPED
BODIES. THEY HAVE EIGHT LEGS, ALTHOUGH SOME
SPECIES HAVE FEWER LEGS IN CERTAIN LIFE STAGES
THEY ARE SO SMALL THAT YOU USUALLY CANNOT
SEE THEM WITH THE NAKED EYE
MITES THAT CAN CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION, ITCHING,
OR ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN HUMANS AND
ANIMALS. THEY CAN INFEST HOMES, PETS, OR EVEN
HUMAN BODIES.
(ACARINA)
MITES
3
1
(LIFE CYCLE)
THEY MOULT TO BECOME 8LEGGED PROTONYMPHS
WITHIN 1 – 2 DAYS
4
THESE MOULT AGAIN
TO BECOME
TRITONYMPHS AGAIN
WITHIN 1 – 2 DAYS
EGGS ARE LAID BY
THE FEMALE MITE
2
EGGS HATCH INTO 6LEGGED LARVAE, WHICH DO
NOT FEED UNTIL AFTER
THEY HAVE MOULTED
5
THE NYMPH MATURES
INTO AN ADULT
MITES
MITES CAN CAUSE SCABIES BY BURROWING INTO THE
SKIN AND LAYING EGGS. WHEN THESE MITES COME INTO
CONTACT WITH HUMAN SKIN, THEY BURROW INTO THE
TOP LAYER, WHERE THEY CREATE TUNNELS AND LAY
THEIR EGGS THAT LEADS TO INTENSE ITCHING AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL, RED BUMPS OR BLISTERS ON
THE SKIN.
MITES CAN CAUSE MANGE BY BURROWING INTO AN
ANIMAL'S SKIN AND FEEDING ON THEIR BLOOD, CAUSING
SKIN IRRITATION, ITCHING, AND HAIR LOSS.
(ACARINA)
WHAT ARE THE IMPACT OF ECTOPARASITES
TO HUMANS OR ANIMALS?
DISEASE TRANSMISSION - ECTOPARASITES, SUCH AS FLEAS, TICKS, AND
LICE, CAN TRANSMIT VARIOUS DISEASES TO THEIR HOSTS WHICH CAN BE
LIFE-THREATENING
SKIN IRRITATION AND INFECTIONS - ECTOPARASITES OFTEN CAUSE SKIN
IRRITATION, ITCHING, AND DISCOMFORT DUE TO THEIR BITES, FEEDING
ACTIVITIES, OR THE TOXINS THEY INJECT INTO THEIR HOSTS.
ANEMIA AND NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES - HEAVY INFESTATIONS OF
BLOOD-FEEDING ECTOPARASITES CAN LEAD TO ANEMIA, ESPECIALLY IN
YOUNG OR WEAK HOSTS. ECTOPARASITES CAN AFFECT THE OVERALL
HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF THEIR HOSTS, LEADING TO DEFICIENCIES AND
COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.
HOW TO PREVENT AND CONTROL
INFESTATIONS OF ECTOPARASITES?
PERSONAL HYGIENE AND SANITATION - PRACTICING GOOD PERSONAL
HYGIENE, SUCH AS REGULAR BATHING, WASHING CLOTHES AND BEDDING,
AND MAINTAINING CLEAN LIVING ENVIRONMENTS, CAN HELP PREVENT
ECTOPARASITE INFESTATIONS
USE OF TOPICAL TREATMENTS - TOPICAL TREATMENTS, SUCH AS SHAMPOOS,
SPRAYS, OR SPOT-ON TREATMENTS, CAN BE APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE
HOST'S BODY TO KILL OR REPEL ECTOPARASITES.
INSECTICIDES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL - INSECTICIDES CAN HELP
CONTROL ECTOPARASITE INFESTATIONS BY KILLING OR REPELLING THE
PARASITES, REDUCING THEIR POPULATION, AND PREVENTING THEIR SPREAD
TO HOSTS.
THANK
YOU!