[Influence of a temperature factor on the vector capacity of the flea Citellophilus tesquorum altaicus]

The impact of temperatures (2-3 to 23-25 degrees C) of flea keeping on their vector capacity was studied in the experiment. In hibernated fleas, the relationship of their vector capacity to the temperature of their keeping, estimated by the level of plague block in species and by the case rates of animals was insignificant, i.e. there is a trend for these indices to increase with elevated temperatures. In the fleas of current years breeding, the rate of block significantly increased with a rise of temperatures from 5-6 to 23-25 degrees C. There were also increases in the number of transmissions of a plague pathogen to susliks and in the number of animals with generalized infection with a rise in temperature up to 16-18 degrees C. The findings and constructed regression equations may predict the pattern of changes in the vector capacity of the flea C. tesquorum altaicus in the study range of temperatures in the enzootic area of a Tuva natural focus of plague.