Urban-wildlife-interface

Guides

• Echidnophaga gallinacea

  hen flea, sticktight flea, stickfast flea

  Echidnophaga gallinacea is a small, dark brown flea that parasitizes a broad range of bird and mammal hosts including poultry, dogs, cats, and occasionally humans. Adult females embed permanently into host skin—typically on bare areas of the head and face—using a serrated mouthpart to feed on blood, while males remain mobile. Heavy infestations cause ulceration, dermatitis, anemia, and can be fatal to young or small hosts. The species has spread globally through poultry farming and is now established across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions.

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