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A flea-borne outbreak of dermatitis.

E C Chua1, K T Goh

  • 1Quarantine & Epidemiology Department, Ministry of the Environment, Singapore.

Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
|October 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

A bird-flea outbreak caused itchy rashes in Singapore warehouse workers. Prompt cleaning and pest control eliminated the dermatitis, marking the first such report in the region.

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Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Entomology
  • Occupational Dermatology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • An outbreak of pruritic rash affected 18 of 46 workers in a Singapore warehouse within a week.
  • The rash was papular, primarily on the thighs, abdomen, and upper limbs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cause and transmission of a dermatitis outbreak among warehouse workers.
  • To identify the etiological agent responsible for the widespread skin condition.

Main Methods:

  • Epidemiological investigation of affected workers and the warehouse environment.
  • Collection and laboratory identification of ectoparasites from bird droppings and affected individuals.
  • Environmental remediation including cleaning, insecticide fogging, and bird-proofing.

Main Results:

  • The outbreak was linked to the bird-flea, Ceratophyllus gallinae (Schrank), identified from an affected worker.
  • Environmental control measures, including bird-dropping removal and insecticide application, led to the cessation of new dermatitis cases.

Conclusions:

  • Ceratophyllus gallinae, a bird-flea, was confirmed as the cause of the dermatitis outbreak in Singapore.
  • Environmental management and pest control were effective in resolving the outbreak and preventing recurrence.

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