Seasonal abundance of fleas (Siphonaptera) on grassland rodents in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, and potential for plague transmission

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Abstract
Seasonal abundance of fleas infesting small mammals was studied from July 1975 to August 1976 in a grassland in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya. Ten species of rodents and two species of shrews were live-trapped 935 times. The Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus) was the most abundant species, with 233 individuals captured 690 times, forming 73·8% of all captures. From these grass rats, 4247 fleas were collected, including Dinopsyllus lypusus Jordan & Rothschild (n = 2596), Xenopsylla bantorum Jordan (n = 1396) and Ctenophthalmus calceatus cabirus Jordan & Rothschild (n = 255). D. lypusus and C. calceatus cabirus were more abundant on Nile grass rats during the rains, while ×. bantorum became more abundant during the dry season and peaked during the early part of the rains. The potential for plague transmission by fleas between Nile grass rats probably exists all year. The potential for transmission to people living in close proximity to these rodents may be highest during the seasonal peak of X. bantorum, at the end of the dry season.

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