Fleas are external parasites that have a considerable impact on the health of their hosts. In addition to causing discomfort and skin issues, they can transmit various diseases, making their presence a matter of concern for both humans and animals. Most fleas have a transient nature, infesting their host temporarily before moving on to another host of the same species. On the other hand, certain flea species can switch hosts, moving from one host species to another. Despite having a comprehensive list of reported fleas in Iran, there remains a significant knowledge gap concerning our aspect of flea infestations. This study aims to determine the frequency of flea infestation in goat herds of Sahneh area in Kermanshah province, west of Iran. A total number of 78 fleas were randomly collected from 22 goat herds in the Sahneh area. The samples were taken from both sexes and various ages of goats. Morphological evaluation of the fleas was done using a diagnostic key after preparing samples. The 78 Captured fleas were from the Pulicidae family and included two species of Ctenocephalides felis (98.72%) and Pulex irritans (1.28%). The infestation rate of sampled goats was 32% for males and 68% for females; moreover, 41% of the infested goats fell within the age range of 1 to 3 months old. The high frequency of Ctenocephalides felis can suggest it as the dominant flea fauna of goats in this region. Since the flea plays a role in the spread of some Bartonella species, in addition to the role of the intermediate host in animal cestodes, it is also important from the zoonotic point.
