The flea is a blood-sucking parasite that infects animals, birds and humans. There are more than two thousand species of fleas in the world. They are all similar in lifestyle, life cycle and damage, but they also have obvious differences. Not all types of fleas are dangerous to humans and pets. Not all of them have been studied, but almost everything is known about those living in our climate zone. You need to know exactly what types of fleas can live in an apartment or in a private household, how dangerous they are and how to deal with them.
To classify flea species, the criterion is taken as the one whose blood they feed on. This is how they distinguish between humans, cats, rats, dogs, etc. This does not mean at all that parasites have a strict and unchangeable preference for whom to bite, whose blood to drink. Only one variety feeds on the blood of a specific animal and does not change it. This is a flea that infects bats. Other varieties can bite representatives of different species. For example, dog fleas prefer the blood of dogs, but can easily bite a person or cat. Cat and dog fleas do not hesitate to bite rodents in the absence of their main victims.
What fleas live in apartments
Fleas in an apartment can live in large colonies. But even a few individuals can greatly ruin your life. In apartments you can find representatives of all types of fleas: dog, cat, rat and, of course, human.
There are no so-called indoor fleas or house fleas. They can live anywhere - in barns, warehouses, industrial premises. They are brought from the street or from other buildings into homes by rodents, cats, dogs on fur, and people on clothes or shoes. And all parasites brought from outside pose a danger to people.
How to protect yourself?
You can protect your apartment and house from fleas with the help of insecticidal preparations.
Modern chemicals used by specialists in this field are virtually odorless and, for the most part, safe for both people and pets.
Today there is no need to leave the house for several days after treatment - a couple of hours or a maximum of one day is enough, as indicated in the instructions for the drug.
Before disinfestation, it is necessary to carry out a general cleaning of the room: vacuum the carpets, wash the floors, intensively wash the linen. If there are pets in the house, you need to start treating them.
They are the main cause of fleas in the apartment.
Folk remedies for parasites for animals:
- Bayer Advantage;
- Combo Merial on the front line;
- Total Inspector K;
- Playing with animals;
- RolfClub;
- Bar AVZ.
To treat housing, products of different form factors are used: aerosols, gels, powders and concentrates. The last two options are considered the most effective.
Unlike aerosols, the results from concentrates and powders last for several weeks, or even months.
Effective flea treatments for indoor treatment:
- Medili;
- House cleaning;
- Receive;
- Sinus;
- Biorin;
- Raid.
Where do fleas live
They do not live directly on humans, like lice, for example. They jump on victims from the floor or from shelters. You can find fleas in a variety of places in your apartment:
- on a shag carpet;
- on the upholstery of upholstered furniture - sofas and armchairs;
- in bed linen and accessories;
- on pet bedding;
- behind floor skirting boards;
- behind peeling wallpaper, in cracks and crevices of the floor or walls;
- in deposits of garbage and rubbish, just old things.
Fleas do not live on the human body, but on animals they can remain in the fur for a very long time. Females lay eggs in the animal’s fur, which means insects can parasitize them on an ongoing basis.
Human fleas
In appearance they do not differ from other species. Their lifestyle is somewhat different in the sense that these jumping parasites do not live permanently on the host’s body, but come to him only for food. However, on a person with very dense body hair, they may linger.
In the absence of humans, these fleas can feed on the blood of other creatures - animals or birds.
Fleas are dangerous for humans because they carry pathogens: plague, anthrax, encephalitis, and helminthiasis.
A person feels a flea bite, and after the bite the following symptoms develop:
- redness and rashes on the skin;
- allergic reactions;
- temperature increase;
- migraine;
- enlarged lymph nodes.
The flea bites and gets fed quickly. The bite causes itching. If there are a lot of bites, this leads to nervous disorders and disruption of sleep and rest due to constant itching. A person scratches the bites, which can cause infection in the scratching. This can lead to dermatitis and other skin problems.
Damage to the nervous system
Damage to the nervous system from fleas Why fleas are dangerous for humans with frequent regular attacks - a disorder of the nervous system. Neuroses often develop in young children. Appears:
- insomnia;
- daytime sleepiness;
- weakness;
- moodiness, irritability:
- bad feeling.
This condition leads to decreased immunity and frequent colds. In difficult situations, the help of specialists is required.
Cat fleas
Cats usually pick up fleas on the street if they go for a walk there. They can also become infected, for example, from a dog living in the house that regularly goes for walks and brings them from the street. Even the owner's shoes and clothes can carry cat fleas into the apartment. The parasite jumps on the cat, easily makes its way through even the thickest fur, pierces the skin and sucks blood. Then the pest may leave the victim, or may remain in the thick fur. When there are too many bites, the cat becomes restless, constantly itches, bites off fur, sleeps poorly and refuses to eat.
Also, when affected by fleas, the following signs appear:
- the fur becomes dull, tangled, and forms tangles even with regular combing of the animal;
- if you look closely, you can see eggs - these are small rounded grains near the roots of the hairs;
- If you part the fur, there are bite marks on the skin - blisters, scratches, swelling and redness.
Due to constant scratching, the animal can get infections through the wounds.
Dog fleas
From the name it is clear that they prefer to drink the blood of dogs. It is very easy for a dog to become infected with fleas while walking. Moreover, the pest can jump on the pet either simply from the ground or grass, or from other animals. You can also pick up fleas in stores or other public places. Owners also bring pests into the house on their clothes, without even knowing it.
How to tell if your dog has fleas:
- constant itching, which causes the animal to itch;
- the dog tries to grab the parasite with its teeth or constantly licks itself;
- restless sleep, whining in sleep;
- decreased appetite and refusal to eat;
- deterioration of mood, apathy, irritability.
Flea infestation is usually accompanied by helminthiasis. Also, flea bites, if left untreated, can develop into dermatitis. In addition, fleas spread dangerous infectious diseases. So, at the first signs, you need to immediately carefully examine your pet to find parasites, and then contact a veterinarian if dangerous symptoms appear.
Diseases carried by insects
Depending on the region of residence and the time of year, fleas can infect humans with very dangerous diseases. Some of them, such as the plague, are deadly. In the Middle Ages, according to various estimates, about 50,000,000 people died from bubonic and pneumonic plague.
Hymenolepiasis
These worms live in the small intestine. Half of the sick survive the infection without any symptoms. In other cases, the following are possible:
- skin rash;
- diarrhea;
- heartburn;
- cramping abdominal pain;
- nausea;
- a sharp decrease in appetite;
- reduction in body weight.
In rare cases, dizziness, fainting, convulsions and Quincke's edema. Diagnosis is made based on clinical examination of stool.
Dipylidiasis
This worm reaches a length of 30–40 cm, lives in the intestines and is attached to the walls with special hooks. In its advanced form it affects the gastric system.
Infection occurs through the oral-fecal route or through flea bites that carry the pathogen in their saliva.
Symptoms:
- periodic abdominal pain;
- severe itching in the anal area;
- weight loss and appetite;
- headache.
Allergic manifestations on the skin are possible, in the form of redness and itching. Pale mucous membranes and skin.
Diagnostics: stool test for worm eggs, urine test and general blood test. Feces must be collected three times. And doctors look at blood and urine in order to understand how much the cucumber tapeworm managed to harm the body.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease. Anthelmintic drugs first. Everything else depends on the tests. It is possible to prescribe antispasmodics to reduce pain. Iron supplements at the onset of anemia. B vitamins. Probiotics and enzymes for the pancreas.
Helminths
Parasitic worms, simply called worms. Science has identified three main types of these parasites:
- round – nematodes (pinworms, roundworms);
- flat, tape - cestodes (echinococci, various tapeworms);
- parasitic flukes – trematodes.
Infection occurs in different ways, including through flea bites.
Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, since most helminths severely undermine human immunity. The degree of damage can only be determined by a doctor, based on the results of laboratory tests of blood, feces and urine.
Plague
An incredibly dangerous disease. From Latin pestis. The carrier is the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague can be contracted from a flea if it has previously been in contact with a sick animal. An imago can also pick up the plague bacillus from a dead, sick animal.
The incubation period of the disease in humans is 2–8 days. You can become infected with the plague through airborne droplets, through tissue contact with a sick animal, and through the bite of an infected flea.
The mortality rate from bubonic plague is 50%, and pneumonic plague always ends in death if treatment is not started in time.
Typhus
From Latin typhus. A serious infectious disease caused by bacteria from the Rickettsia prowazekii group.
The transmission method is transmission. From sick to healthy through the bite of lice, fleas and ticks. Main symptoms:
- specific rash on the body;
- feverish condition;
- serious damage to the nervous system;
- cardiovascular problems.
There are two types: epidemic and endemic.
It is epidemic typhus that spreads through the bites of fleas and lice. They can transmit infection from person to person or from sick rats to people. This is rare in the modern world. For such an epidemic to start, people must live in terrible unsanitary conditions.
After bacteriological tests, the doctor prescribes a course of antibiotics.
Sarcopsillosis or tungiasis
Tropical parasitic disease, from Latin Sarcopsyllosis, Tungiasis.
The source of infection can be a penetrating flea (Brazilian ground flea). The habitat of this flea, and therefore the place where you can become infected with this disease:
- Caribbean countries;
- South and Central America;
- India;
- tropical part of Africa.
Symptoms of a Brazilian bloodsucker bite are severe itching, redness and a visible wound at the site of infestation.
These fleas are scary because they lay eggs under human skin. The toes are especially susceptible. Nail plates. Various bacteria penetrate the body through the wound.
Treatment only by a specialist. You cannot remove it yourself. Otherwise, even part of the flea remaining in the body can lead to a serious infection. The risk of re-infection remains. Result: tetanus and gangrene!
Rat fleas
They prefer the blood of rodents, but in the absence of a suitable victim they also attack humans, domestic animals and birds.
Rat fleas are especially dangerous to humans and animals. The fact is that rats are very unclean. Their blood contains pathogens. A flea, biting either a rat or a person, carries pathogenic microorganisms with saliva or even just on its body. Because of this, rat flea bites can even be fatal if they are not recognized in time and the necessary measures are not taken.
Outwardly, they are no different from human or canine ones. They bite just as quickly and painfully.
Exotic pests
Not only domestic parasites cause trouble: a trip to exotic countries can result in even more exotic problems. So, when visiting India, the Caribbean or Vietnam, you can meet a sand flea, the way of feeding of which is significantly different from the bites almost familiar to humans. This flea bites into the skin and attaches itself directly to a blood vessel. This method of feeding allows the insect to grow several times in size in a few days.
Females carrying eggs feed in this way. The area around the insect becomes inflamed, and the person experiences such pain that he no longer cares whether the fleas carry rabies. Often the discomfort is so severe that the person cannot walk.
Important!
If you develop painful cavities or swellings under your skin while traveling, you should consult a doctor immediately. If the insect is not removed in a timely manner (especially when there are many of them), gangrene is likely to develop. In countries where parasites of this species are typical, a certain number of the local population becomes disabled precisely because of sand fleas and their larvae.
Bird fleas
They are often called chicken bites because it is chickens that they bite the most. They appear if the bird walks freely in the yard. You can also bring them into the chicken coop on the clothes of the owners. Rodents also turn out to be carriers.
Chicken fleas also carry pathogenic microorganisms that cause dangerous diseases. And simply in large numbers, their bites cause anxiety to birds, which become irritable and even aggressive. Chicken fleas can be picked up by humans, as well as dogs and cats. It is quite difficult to detect fleas on a chicken because they burrow under the feathers and stay on the skin.
The most popular anthelmintic drugs
| Name | Description | Minuses |
| Febtal combo | The active ingredients praziquantel and albendazole are active against round and tapeworms. | Not allowed during lactation and pregnancy. |
| Name | Description | Minuses |
| Drontal Junior | The active ingredients febantel and pyrantel embonate are active against roundworms. | Not a wide spectrum of action. |
| Name | Description | Minuses |
| Kanikquantel | The active ingredients praziquantel and fenbendazole are active against roundworms and tapeworms. This is not quite a suspension - it is a gel. | High price. |
