Beloved pets often begin to itch after interacting with street animals or traveling to the country. The owner is horrified to discover that fleas live on a cat or dog. Whether they pose a danger to family members is the main question that plagues many. Let's consider whether fleas live on the human body, and what measures need to be taken to rid your pet, yourself and your home of uninvited guests.
- Types of fleas on a dog
- On a cat
- In public
- How to recognize fleas
- Bites in children
- Physiology
- Head disinfection
- Chemicals
Types of fleas
Fleas do not have wings and belong to the blood-sucking order. The body of insects is equipped with special devices (spikes) for attachment to the skin of animals whose blood they feed on. More than 2000 varieties are known. Some species, while not parasitizing on humans, can, if accidentally ingested, establish themselves in a person’s hair or clothing and live in an apartment.
On a dog
Dogs live on parasites called Ctenocephalides canis, or dog flea. This species is widespread everywhere, insects are not picky - they choose cats and rodents to parasitize, and will not refuse to bite a person. They are resistant to poor living conditions; they can live on the body from 3 months to a year and a half.
They spread Marseilles fever, plague, leprosy, and ctenocephalosis. They carry several types of parasites.
On a cat
Cats are favored by the insects Ctenocephalides felis, which also live on other animals and are also dangerous to humans. The bite of such a flea, when scratched, leads to purulent inflammation and a special type of dermatosis.
They carry plague, brucellosis, and rickettsiosis. The individual lives up to 2 years. A very dangerous type of flea, with severe infestation the animal develops anemia and exhaustion.
In public
According to scientists, the homeland of the human flea (Pulex irritans) is South America. In addition to people, it can live on domestic and wild animals. Carries plague and eggs of some parasites.
A skin disease caused by insect bites is called pulicosis. Produces a record number of eggs, laying them in secluded places in basements and quiet attics.
Features of parasitism
Fleas, unlike lice, are not tied to a specific animal. They settle in garbage heaps, rodent burrows, basements and any other places where mammals frequent. In an apartment this could be:
- cat litter;
- carpets;
- upholstered furniture and toys.
Fleas have a good sense of smell and are highly sensitive to vibration and temperature fluctuations. They locate the victim from a distance of several meters and jump onto it. After saturation, the insects leave the person or cat to reproduce.
If it is cold outside and the search for food is difficult, fleas do not leave the animal, but remain to live on it. But the eggs and larvae still do not mature on the parasite carrier.
For your information. A cat is able to “shelter” not only cat fleas, but also rabbit and dog fleas.
Symptoms of bites in humans
A person’s reaction to a flea bite depends on the characteristics of the body. Some feel a stabbing sensation at the moment of biting the skin, others experience an unpleasant burning and itching a little later or after finishing sucking.
A flea bite is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- red spots with swelling of the skin at the site of the bite, similar to traces of mosquito bites (up to 5 millimeters);
- swelling surrounding the spot usually goes away after a few hours;
- severe itching, burning, desire to scratch the affected area of the skin.
The spots and itching persist for up to two days. Other reactions largely depend on the individual characteristics of a person. Some develop blisters, noticeable swelling, and hives caused by the enzymes introduced by the flea.
How to recognize fleas
Insects move by jumping; they do not live on the human body, but only feed. Bite sites are most often localized on the ankles, where they are able to jump. If an apartment is infested with fleas, then when a person is sleeping, they can bite him anywhere.
You can detect fleas:
- by the characteristic bite spots that will appear regularly, because individuals need to eat;
- according to the appearance of the discovered insects, the color is brown, size is 2-3 millimeters, the hind legs are longer than the others, there are 6 legs in total;
- scattered eggs of small size and white-transparent appearance - in the folds of furniture and bedspreads, rugs, where pets lie.
There is no doubt that if fleas live in the house, they will reveal themselves. Animals and people will itch constantly. Note that bites usually do not appear under hair; this localization is typical for lice.
Routes of transmission to humans
One should not blame only domestic animals for the appearance of fleas in people, although pets are most often their source. Fluffy fur and corners of sofas favored by pets are the main places where insects get onto humans.
Other sources of bloodsucking:
- livestock and their habitats;
- courtyard buildings;
- non-residential parts of premises - attics, basements, stairs;
- small pets – rats, birds, their cages.
Dirty basements, habitats of street animals and homeless people are usually heavily infested with fleas of various species. Fleas live where warm-blooded creatures live or frequent, giving them food. These can be nurseries for domestic or wild animals, dovecotes, chicken coops.
Habitats
Fleas are almost elusive; swatting them down requires a fair amount of dexterity. A person is a source of food, not a place of permanent residence. At the same time, insects have convenient means on their bodies for attaching to hair and tissues, so they can live in the fur and not leave the animals. People leave after satiation.
Fleas live in close proximity to humans:
- in secluded crevices of furniture and walls;
- in the folds of fabrics, covers, bedspreads;
- close to the habitats of animals and birds.
They love places where people rarely go to clean or ventilate, or move things. They often live in neighboring non-residential premises - closets, utility rooms, sheds.
Where do “uninvited guests” come from?
Most often, ectoparasites live in the basements of houses, from where they ascend into the home for a source of food. They can also settle in attics, where bird nesting areas provide excellent shelter. The human flea is capable of remaining without food for a long time, courageously enduring unfavorable conditions.
Their ways of entering a home are numerous and do not cause any particular difficulties:
- fall with shoes and clothes;
- climb through cracks or ventilation ducts from neighbors;
- transmitted from stray cats or dogs;
- crawl off mice and rats if they appear in apartments;
- jumping through open windows or doors;
- spread from person to person.
It is important to notice the “enemy” in time and get rid of it as soon as possible, otherwise the flea will cause a lot of trouble and trouble to the inhabitants of the home.
Are fleas dangerous for humans?
The question of whether fleas can live on or near a person is extremely important. After all, insects come into contact with sick animals, dirt and infection, and then bite through the skin and come into contact with human blood.
The harm they cause is not limited to itching and discomfort. People who are accustomed to cleanliness and live in comfortable conditions often develop neuroses when insects are found on their clothes or on their heads.
Modern man has come a long way from the times of wars and epidemics, when lice and fleas were everywhere. Most people don't know whether fleas jump or whether similar insects can live in human hair.
It is worth recalling the harm blood-sucking people cause:
- infection, suppuration of wounds, especially when scratching, dermatitis;
- allergy to the bite itself, which can be local or general;
- infections carried by insects;
- spread of parasites.
All these consequences of bites make proximity to insects very dangerous. Having caught on hair or clothing, a flea can enter the house even without pets, which many consider the main source of spread.
Diseases carried by different types of fleas:
- bacterial - plague, listeriosis, salmonellosis, tularemia, yersiniosis, pseudotuberculosis;
- viral – hepatitis B and C, tick-borne encephalitis;
- rickettsia - typhus;
- protozoa – trypanosomiasis.
Insects carry fragments of parasites that can cause intestinal infections.
Bites in children
Children's reactions to flea bites are the most powerful and unpredictable. This is due to:
- delicate skin, inability to resist scratching;
- greater tendency to allergies;
- undeveloped immune system.
Children live in closer contact with animals, including street animals, and are often attacked. Children often develop dermatitis; with significant damage to the skin, the temperature rises and rashes are observed. Children sleep poorly, lose their appetite, develop neurosis and fever.
Vaccinations, which must be carried out at the recommended time, help protect children from severe reactions to insects.
Flea allergy
Allergic reactions are a response to the penetration of foreign substances into the body that are perceived as dangerous. The flea secretes enzymes that enter the blood and spread throughout the body.
It is difficult to predict the consequences of an allergy to these enzymes - reactions can be rapid or delayed. Among the possible:
- skin rashes with itching, dermatitis;
- swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat, eyes with copious secretion of tears or mucus;
- signs of intoxication - shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, headache.
In most cases, taking antihistamines - Loratadine, Diphenhydramine, Terfenadine - helps. In case of significant manifestations, you need to call a doctor or an ambulance to avoid angioedema or anaphylactic shock.
What is histamine
Histamine is a hormone that regulates many processes in the body. Its increased production is triggered by certain diseases and the ingestion of substances that are allergens. For some people, these are flea enzymes.
An increase in histamine synthesis causes muscle spasms, dilation of capillaries, a drop in pressure, increased permeability of the walls of small vessels, swelling and stagnation of fluid in the tissues.
Allergic reactions to flea damage to the skin are caused by increased histamine release.
Exception to the rule
There is a separate type of ectoparasite that can live in the human body for a short time. This is a sand flea that inhabits tropical beaches. Distributed in Brazil, Nigeria, India. You should be careful when visiting tropical countries.
The sand flea strongly bites the skin and, thanks to its one-millimeter body length, easily penetrates into the deep layers, reaching blood vessels. It lives inside the human body for up to 7 days until the eggs finish maturing.
The sand flea is dangerous because it causes a serious inflammatory disease - sarcopsillosis.
Description of insects
The insects' body is smooth and equipped with spines that help them cling to their prey. Fleas have 3 pairs of legs; the rear ones are longer and provide jumping ability. Insects are good jumpers, so they fly to the victim without direct contact.
Body length – 3 millimeters, color – brown. The compressed sides allow for easy movement between hairs. They usually live outside the human body, visiting for food. They jump quickly, up to 50 centimeters. It is difficult to catch and crush an insect.
The eggs are thrown in small batches in different places, sometimes on the host. Larvae hatch, similar to worms, which actively move, live in garbage and dust, and feed on organic debris there.
Physiology
They feed on the blood of warm-blooded creatures, including humans. They can live near people or animals, hiding almost all the time when they are not looking for food.
They live up to 500 days, but usually much less. If they don't find people, they terrorize domestic animals.
Why are they dangerous?
The main threat lies in the diseases that fleas spread. Among the most significant and likely:
- salmonellosis;
- hepatitis;
- helminthiases;
- tick-borne encephalitis.
Even if infection does not occur, many people suffer from skin irritation, peeling, and loss of appearance. Often, especially in children, allergic reactions are added. Unpleasant neighbors can seriously ruin your life, leading to neurosis.
What does a bite look like?
The bite site is a small red bump that rises slightly above the skin. With a large number of wounds, they resemble a large rash. If scratched - swelling of the skin, abraded areas of the epidermis, redness.
Distribution routes
The human flea takes a liking to empty rooms near humans. They live in close proximity and are brought in mainly by the person himself on clothes, shoes, things from the attic or closet.
Fleas move well on their own, they sense where they can feed, so they try to live nearby. They easily migrate from the extreme floors of houses to apartments.
Signs of the presence of a parasite
If fleas have settled down to live in an apartment, it is impossible not to detect their traces. Household members are covered with red spots and itch. Small eggs are easy to spot in different places. Although the tracks resemble those of mosquitoes, flying squeakers are usually detected immediately.
Emergency help for bites
The site of any insect bite should be washed well with running water and soap. When scratching, there is a high probability of introducing an infection from a neighboring area of skin.
Any alcohol-containing tinctures or antiseptics are suitable for treatment. You need to lubricate not only the wound, but also the area around it. Applying cold can help reduce itching and burning.
If there are signs of allergy development - severe swelling, sore throat, lacrimation - take an antihistamine.
For severe itching - Golden Star balm, plantain tincture, Fenistil, any remedy available in the home medicine cabinet.
How to protect yourself
Animal owners especially often have to deal with the consequences of fleas. But no one can be immune from insects. If fleas decide to live in a house, comprehensive treatment of the home is needed.
It includes:
- freeing pets from insects:
- washing all bedspreads, blankets, curtains, processing upholstery and covers;
- processing the yard and buildings, cutting the grass;
- dismantling and processing of storage rooms and closets.
You will have to shake up the whole house to prevent contamination of secluded places where insects like to live.
To avoid getting infected, you need to avoid going to landfills and the habitats of stray animals, and avoid contact of domestic cats and dogs with them. Anyone who ends up in such places should be inspected and their clothes should be thoroughly shaken out before returning home.
Head disinfection
Fleas of any kind, including human ones, do not live in human hair. To remove individual individuals, it is enough to wash your hair regularly. It is useful to use tar soap or shampoos that are sold in pharmacies against lice and nits.
Treatment of wounds from bites
Special wound treatment is only relevant in cases of infection and severe scratching. In most cases, wounds heal within 1-3 days without any trace.
If there are signs of an allergy, you should consult an allergist, especially if irritation persists after taking antihistamines.
You can lubricate the damage with the following preparations:
- iodine;
- Calamine;
- Fenistil;
- tinctures of chamomile, plantain.
If severe itching occurs, the doctor may prescribe medications with glucocorticosteroids for local (Sinaflan, Hydrocortisone) or oral use.
It is better not to use such means on your own.
Preventive measures
How to protect yourself and your loved ones from parasite bites? There is a high probability that they can appear in any apartment, since the ways of their penetration are varied. But you can minimize unpleasant “communication” by following simple rules:
- when hiking in nature, cover all exposed areas of the body;
- do not visit unsanitary places;
- keep order in the house;
- repel fleas by treating yourself with Off-Extreme, Biban, Gall-Rat;
- do not touch stray animals.
These measures will protect against human fleas entering the house and will relieve you from unpleasant bites and subsequent treatment of the apartment.
Modern means make it possible to keep everyone’s home perfectly clean, protecting them from emerging insects. Many of them have adaptive mechanisms that allow them to survive in unfavorable conditions. But patience and the desire to live in purity and peace will help you take the necessary countermeasures and solve the difficult problem of “uninvited guests.”
Getting rid of parasites
You cannot live with fleas in the house; you need to get rid of them as soon as the first individual is discovered. General cleaning of the apartment and treatment of animals is required.
Since fleas can live in any place, the main thing is to thoroughly clean all rooms, wash surfaces, and wash things. Bedding and pet houses - change or treat well. Nothing can be excluded; all processing is carried out at one time.
Chemicals
Often only insecticides can completely clean houses of fleas. Let's highlight the best chemicals - ordinary and professional, which will prevent insects from living in the apartment:
- Raptor;
- Pyrethrum – Persian chamomile powder, natural insecticide;
- Combat;
- Biorin, Sinuzan - strong professional products;
- Chlorpirimak is a drug against garden pests;
- Gett;
- Empire 20;
- dust
All of these products require caution when used, but guarantee reliable freedom from all insects.
Folk remedies
Simple folk remedies can relieve itching and irritation. For this use:
- thick soda paste, which is used to lubricate the damage;
- fruit juices – lemon, orange;
- juice of dandelion, marigold, plantain, mint - the leaves must be thoroughly mashed until moisture appears;
- house plants - aloe, kalanchoe - apply leaves or pulp;
- lotions from good tea - not from bags.
These remedies should be used as early as possible.
Professional pest control
If you cannot cope with the flea infestation on your own, you can call special services to clean the area.
They will inform you how to properly prepare for cleansing from parasites and will carry out the necessary measures using insecticides and special equipment for spraying them. They will tell you how to clean the premises after cleaning.
Usually all rooms in the house, the surrounding area and buildings are processed simultaneously. Recommendations are also given for preventing areas where fleas may live.
Prevention
To avoid flea infestation, you need to follow simple measures:
- regularly check and clean pets from insects, as human fleas can live on them;
- to protect premises, use preventive measures - cleaning with disinfectants, spraying solutions of tansy, wormwood, clearing debris and dirt from places where fleas can live;
- use repellents when in potentially dangerous places.
In most cases, fleas are brought by pets; insects prefer to live in their warm skins. Therefore, buy a special collar for your animal and make sure that it does not come into contact with other people’s cats or dogs.
Fleas have long been a real curse of people, spreading epidemics of plague and other dangerous diseases. Modern means create a reliable barrier against all insects, but we must not lose vigilance, since at the slightest mistake, fleas will happily enter our homes.
