Sand fleas: how to get rid of them on your feet, in a house or apartment, a remedy for humans

The sand flea is the smallest among the many fleas found on the planet. The body of an adult will barely be more than 1 millimeter. Usually these parasites are found in the sand, but they need the flesh of a living person to reproduce. The fertilized female penetrates the skin to ensure proper maturation of the eggs. Naturally, this is accompanied by various infections and inflammations in the victim’s body.

Important fact! Sand fleas can only be picked up in tropical countries, so they do not pose a serious threat to the inhabitants of our region.

These insects are not able to live in the cold. Sarcopsillosis is a disease that causes fleas to burrow into the skin. The sand flea is widespread in Nigeria, Brazil, Vietnam, and African countries. These fleas do not live in Russia, but you can easily pick them up while traveling.

Description of the sand flea

Please note! Due to its critically small size, the sand flea cannot be seen with the naked eye.

You need to know the “enemy in person” in order to recognize the danger in time. That is why we present photographs not only of the blood-sucking animal itself, but also photographs of its bites.

Upon closer inspection, you will notice how much the sand flea resembles a rat flea. The tiny flattened body consists of three parts: head, abdomen and chest. The parasite has six limbs. It's amazing that, despite their small size, these babies are able to jump to a height of up to 50 cm from the surface. All this is thanks to the good development of the hind legs. The sand flea's body is covered with hard hairs and bristles and is dark or black in color. Fleas hunt at night, when most potential victims are asleep. These are the hours when they are most active.

SCHISTOSOMIASIS: SUBCUTANEOUS PENETRATION (EGYPT, CHINA, PHILIPPINES)

Swimming in fresh water can be dangerous due to the parasite schistosomes, which enter the body through the skin. Larvae living in freshwater mollusks penetrate through contaminated water into humans, where they develop into adults. These worms live in blood vessels, lay eggs there, and then infect various organs.

What to do: There is no need to swim in fresh water, and if you do end up on a river or lake, try to prevent water from getting into your mouth. You should only drink boiled or bottled water.

Photo: Getty Images

Why are sand fleas dangerous for people?

Sand parasites not only feed on human blood, but also live inside the body, in its skin. Males attack not only humans, but also warm-blooded animals to feed.

Male sand fleas do not pose a serious danger to humans, but they can cause discomfort and discomfort.

Females are a completely different matter. They live in the skin until the eggs inside it mature. Human blood is food for offspring. The parasite grows several times as the eggs mature, and sometimes can reach the size of a pea with a diameter of 7-8 mm. The tissues around the parasite begin to become inflamed and rot, just imagine what a person feels, because all this happens under the skin. After the eggs mature, the female throws them out of the wound and dies.

Sand fleas cause a disease called tungiasis. It is especially common in India and African countries, where people almost always go without shoes. Practice shows that male tourists become infected more often than women. The fact is that women are more sensitive to the rules of staying in such countries.

It is important to know! The female, which is located under the human skin, causes the appearance of: ulcers, ulcers, inflammation, redness of the skin. But serious complications should be expected only after the death of the female.

Her body, remaining under the skin, begins to rot. This process causes severe itching, inflammation, unbearable pain, and if no immediate measures are taken, the resulting wound may become infected. As a result, inflammation can result in gangrene.

EBOLA: AN UNPUNISHED KILLER

Fraternizing and hugging with local residents anywhere in West African countries is highly discouraged - you can get an infection. The most terrible disease that is easily transmitted from person to person through close contact is Ebola fever. In most cases, the infected person will die within 2 weeks. Once in the human body, the Ebola virus attacks the cells of the immune system, leading to the development of a strong inflammatory reaction, as a result of which the blood coagulation system is completely disrupted (at the same time bleeding occurs and blood clots form).

What to do: To date, there is no specific treatment. What gives us hope is that a vaccine against Ebola has already been created and is now being tested in laboratories.

Photo: Getty Images

What are the symptoms that you are infected?

No matter how strange it may be, having crawled under the skin, the female may not betray her presence in any way for 1-2 weeks. Remember, we said that the size of the female is less than 1 mm and while the eggs in her begin to grow, it is impossible to see her. In turn, inflammation begins to appear only after a significant increase in the parasite. The sand flea often affects the following areas of the human body:

legs;
feet;
wrists;
buttocks and groin;
back;
stomach.

This is not a complete list of body parts that are susceptible to damage. In fact, the entire human body is vulnerable. Cases have been recorded in which the flea affected the skin on the pubis, back of the head, eyelids, and lips.

The most common symptoms:

From the hole in which the female has settled, liquid and products of her vital activity are often released;
Severe itching, which increases significantly in the dark;
Unbearable pain, in which a person is unable to fully move;
The skin around the affected area begins to peel off;
The wounds begin to emit an unpleasant odor, but only in very advanced cases;
A person involuntarily scratches the affected areas of the skin due to severe itching. Microbes enter the wound, causing an abscess and suppuration. In the worst case, gangrene and tetanus appear;
Flea infestations can lead to deformation and amputation of limbs, elephantiasis, pneumonia, necrosis;
Part of the swollen parasite with eggs may peek out from the wound;
A dark dot can be seen in the center of the affected area.

Harm caused

Female fleas of the genus Tunga cause the tropical parasitic disease sarcopsillosis, or tungiasis. Particularly high incidence rates are recorded in Nigeria, Trinidad, Tobago and Brazil. The peak incidence is recorded in September, and the minimum in January. The incubation period covers five stages and lasts about twelve days.

After fertilization, females are able to attach to the skin on a person’s legs and almost instantly penetrate the soft skin of the interdigital folds, under the nails and into the ankle area, and then are completely immersed in the epidermis. There, sand fleas feed on blood for 10 days and acquire a spherical shape with a diameter of five millimeters. The protruding end of the body remains visible on the surface of the skin. In a few weeks, the female is capable of laying several thousand eggs. Once in sandy soil, they continue their development cycle. The death of the parasite may be accompanied by the development of sepsis in the sick person.

The sand flea moves quickly in search of a damp place on the human body. A particular favorite spot is socks. Even if you take off your clothes, this will not help get rid of the flea - it lives there for several days. Once a suitable skin area is found, the adult injects a liquid containing enzymes into it. Thus, the cells turn into a food mixture. Eggs will be laid in the skin depression formed after the meal.

Primary infestation is manifested by severe irritation and itching. This occurs when the flea reaches the final stage of development. The area of skin may become ulcerated and inflamed.

If the site of penetration is the subungual bed, then the result is the formation of an abscess, and if the female dies at the site of penetration, a secondary infection develops. The result can be tetanus or gangrene, which can lead to amputation of the finger.

Sand flea bites

The pain and severity of sand flea bites are similar to those of regular mosquitoes. When bitten, you may feel a slight itch and notice slight redness. Human skin is very elastic, and the size of the bite hole is so small that it cannot be seen. You can only feel a slight swelling in this place.

A person does not pay attention to such symptoms, mistakenly believing that he was bitten by some other insect. This is the main cunning of the sand flea. After a few days, the health condition begins to deteriorate sharply, and the symptoms become more severe. Most people are unaware that a parasite develops under the skin, and scratching it only increases the infection. The combination of these factors leads to the fact that a person begins to treat the symptoms on his own, without understanding the main cause of itching and redness.

Rules of conduct in tropical countries if you are planning to go there on vacation:

Try to wear shoes on the beach . This way you will protect your feet, which are the most vulnerable places;

Sunbathe on some kind of mat, but not on open sand . The best option for this are special sun loungers. When resting on them, you will be at a certain distance from the sand, which significantly reduces the risk of infection;

Get vaccinated . Having penetrated the skin, which contains toxic substances, the flea is unlikely to want to stay there. If you are planning a trip to southern countries long before your vacation, vaccination will become a reliable protection. You may have to take a course consisting of several injections during a certain period between them. Be sure to consult your doctor, do not vaccinate yourself!

Choose modern hotels . In such hotels, specialists are aware of this danger, so they do everything possible to prevent guests from becoming infected with a dangerous parasite. Usually hotels have a qualified doctor who can provide first aid.

Precautionary measures do not provide a 100% guarantee that you will not catch a sand flea. But the likelihood of infection with this parasite is significantly reduced!

Habitat, appearance, lifestyle and method of reproduction

The process of reproduction of the penetrating flea
The parasite was initially described in Brazil almost immediately after Columbus's voyage.

Interesting!
The first bites were recorded on Christopher Columbus's caravel "Santa Maria".

According to the place of the first description, the insect was called Brazilian. With ships, the parasite gradually spread throughout all tropical countries and today is found in Africa, India, and Thailand. Sand fleas are common in Vietnam. These insects today can be found wherever there are suitable climatic conditions for them.

Appearance

A very small parasite, whose closest European relatives are rat fleas. Unlike “native” ectoparasites, the sand flea has very long hind legs and a short body. Below is a comparison photo of a cat flea (left) and a piercing Brazilian flea (right).

Treatment for sand flea bites

There is a misconception that sand fleas can be cured using traditional methods and there is no need to see a doctor. Know that no lotions or ointments will help you! Therefore, you should not waste precious time on this, because the parasite can only be removed surgically. But no one will send you for surgery without a confirmed diagnosis and positive tests for the presence of a parasite under the skin.

Removing a sand flea on your own is difficult, so it is strictly not recommended to do so. Careless attempts to remove a swollen parasite may result in the parasite being crushed. In this case, the contents of the flea's stomach will enter the wound and can lead to blood poisoning and a significant complication of the disease.

During surgery, surgeons open the wound by cutting off the top layer of skin from the affected area. After this, the parasite is carefully removed and the wound is disinfected. If a person has been subjected to numerous attacks, the process becomes several times more complicated.

As soon as you notice a bite on the body:

Take antihistamines to prevent an allergic reaction. They are used not only externally, but also internally;
Treat the bite site with any antiseptic;
See your doctor immediately.

Horseflies: carriers of anthrax (SIBERIA, CENTRAL RUSSIA)

While relaxing on the banks of rivers and lakes, you can become a victim of blood-sucking insects - horse flies. This is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous. A horsefly bite is accompanied by severe pain, a thickening forms on the skin, itching and burning appear. In normal cases, symptoms disappear after a few days. However, you should know that horseflies serve as a carrier of dangerous diseases, such as anthrax.

What to do: Horseflies attack only during daylight hours in good weather. To relieve itching, you need to cool the swelling by applying a piece of ice, wash the wound with soap and water, and then burn the bite site with alcohol. Plantain leaf, dandelion or onion juice will also help with pain and swelling.

Photo: Getty Images

See other questions from tourists:

Tatyana, February 21, 2018

I have a feeling that I caught “luck by the tail” when I came across your site. I immediately got the feeling that everything was fair here, without a “divorce.” Of course, there was a desire to book excursions and chat. We are flying for the first time with a friend. We will be in Nha Trang from March 18-31. I would like to discuss everything in advance. This is very convenient even in the sense that you can plan your budget). I already wrote on WhatsApp. Name is Tatyana. We will relax in Dendro 3.

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