Flea is the common name for any of the small wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera (some authorities use the name Aphaniptera because it is older, but names above family rank do not follow the rules of priority, so most taxonomists use the more familiar name). Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds, and genetic and morphological evidence indicates that they are descendants of the Scorpionfly family Boreidae, which are also flightless; accordingly it is possible that they will eventually be reclassified as a suborder within the Mecoptera. In the past, however, it was most commonly supposed that fleas had evolved from the flies (Diptera), based on similarities of the larvae.

Note: There is also a genus of foraminiferan Protozoa named Siphonaptera

Some well known flea species include:

• Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis),
• Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis),
• Human flea (Pulex irritans),
• Northern rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus),
• Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).

More on [ Flea ]

PLoS Medicine: New Articles

PLoS Medicine Issue Image | Vol. 6(6) June 2009
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Clean water should be recognized as a human right. At the March 2009 United Nations meetings coinciding with the World Water Forum, a declaration that would recognize water as a basic human right was defeated. In this month's Editorial, the PLoS Medicine Editors argue that access to clean water should be declared a basic human right for three reasons. First, access to clean water can substantially reduce the global burden of disease caused by water-borne infections. Second, the privatization of water—as witnessed in Bolivia, Ghana, and other countries—has not effectively served the poor, who suffer the most from lack of access to clean water. Third, the prospect of global water scarcity—exacerbated by climate change, industrial pollution, and population growth—means that no country is immune to a water crisis.Image Credit: Rudhach at flickr.com
Seasonal Hunger: A Neglected Problem with Proven Solutions
Bapu Vaitla et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Clean Water Should Be Recognized as a Human Right
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Can We “Hedge” against the Development of Antiviral Resistance among Pandemic Influenza Viruses?
David K. Shay et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
David K. Shay and Benjamin Ridenhour discuss a modeling study predicting that stockpiling a secondary antiviral for use early in a flu pandemic can forestall resistance to the primary stockpiled drug.
Pralidoxime in Acute Organophosphorus Insecticide Poisoning—A Randomised Controlled Trial
Michael Eddleston et al. Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
In a randomized controlled trial of individuals who had taken organophosphorus insecticides, Michael Eddleston and colleagues find that there is no evidence that the addition of the antidote pralidoxime offers benefit over atropine and supportive care.
What Is the Optimal Therapy for Patients with H5N1 Influenza?
Nicholas J. White et al. Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0000
Nicholas White discusses optimal dosing of oseltamivir, Robert Webster and Elena Govorkova discuss combination antiviral therapy, and Timothy Uyeki discusses clinical care of patients with H5N1.

EurekAlert! - Biology

Study identifies how tamoxifen stimulates uterine cell growth and cancer
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(University of California - San Francisco) University of California - San Francisco researchers have identified a new "feed-forward" pathway linking estrogen receptors in the membrane of the uterus to a process that increases local estrogen levels and promotes cell growth.
'Genetic arms race' between bacteria, viruses subject of stimulus grant
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(Michigan State University) The oceans teem with microscopic bacteria that produce much of Earth's oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide greenhouse gas. But fast-mutating viruses also populate the seas, attacking marine bacteria in an ages-old evolutionary arms race. A Michigan State University researcher will probe that ancient dynamic against the backdrop of environmental and climate change, and the pivotal role played by aquatic bacteria in maintaining the Earth's biological balance.
Learning from locusts
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
(Queen's University) A similarity in brain disturbance between insects and people suffering from migraines, stroke and epilepsy points the way toward new drug therapies to address these conditions.

Subscribe to Biology RSS feed