Fleas in pets are not unpredictable. If your pet is free to walk outside and in contact with other cats or dogs, then he will most likely bring bloodsucking insects home . Do they pose a potential danger to humans? Most will say no. In fact, any warm-blooded can be bitten, especially if fleas are hungry. Today we’ll talk about whether fleas live in humans, in more detail.
Varieties
It is believed that these insects are transmitted from cats and dogs to other pets, and people bite only by accident. Let's get it together. Today, there are only two varieties of human fleas:
- Tunga penetrans (this species, fortunately, practically does not occur here) - a serious disease develops when representatives attack. The fact is that the female lays offspring, biting under the skin.
- Pulex irritans - These fleas can live almost everywhere.
In addition to them, there are about 30 varieties that can live in an apartment for a long time.
- These are rat, European, which most often parasitize on domestic mice.
- Southern rats carry the plague. They live on rodents, but bite a person.
- Dogs, unlike everyone else, constantly live on their master. Most of you are well aware of these representatives of the species, as they are often seen on pets.
Do fleas live in humans? No, they do not live. Why are people periodically attacked by these insects and suffer from their bites? The answers to these questions lie in the biology of the blood-sucking creature.
Parasite biology
In nature, they live on the earth and visit their owners only at the time of feeding. Bloodsuckers can use a person as a food source, but they will not live on it. If fleas have chosen an apartment, they will lay eggs in separate corners that they like. From them appear larvae that feed on organic debris. In uncleaned dog litter there are usually more of them than necessary. The larva turns into a chrysalis, from which an adult emerges. It is she who, getting out in search of food, can in passing bite anyone.
It becomes clear whether fleas live in humans. They cannot spend a long time on the human body. Unlike a dog or cat, he does not have hair, and she simply has nowhere to hide. The longest they can linger on the head in the hair, but can not live like that. Usually, having bitten their victim and received a dose of fresh blood, they leave their temporary “master” and return to the floor, to the bedding or to a nook.
Flea bites: true or fiction
If you still have doubts about whether fleas live on people, then you can safely forget about them. They do not have suction cups or hooks with which insects could be held on the body. But any warm-blooded creature can become a victim of these bloodsuckers. They use everyone who falls into their habitat, although they are adapted for some time to do without food.
They will bite anyone. The only selection criterion is warm-bloodedness. Therefore, the question of whether fleas pass to humans can be considered in two ways. They will not live on it, but they will not refuse to feast on blood. Only availability matters. By the way, bloodsuckers are always more active in the warm season, in hot weather.
What you should know about
In order to understand in time what you are dealing with, you need to know what flea bites look like in a person. Only in this way can you distinguish them from mosquito bites, bedbugs or allergic reactions to food. Fleas deliver the most discomfort precisely with a bite. Allergic edema can occur within a few hours. Its intensity will depend on the individual characteristics and inclinations of a person. In addition to the fact that the affected area itches, it also hurts a lot.
Since the bites of fleas in humans look like mosquitoes, it is the painfulness of the bitten area that makes it possible to understand that this is a trace from another insect. Unlike mosquitoes, these bloodsuckers do not inject an anesthetic. Instead, only irritating saliva enters the body.
Individual characteristics
Of course, each person will have a reaction. There are people completely insensitive. They simply will not notice the bite and will claim that their fleas did not bite. Other family members who do not possess this property of the body may notice mild discomfort. The worst for allergy sufferers. On their body, each bite will turn into a huge bladder that will itch and hurt. Antihistamines will help to improve the condition a little, but the problem will not completely go away.
The dangers
But in itself, redness of the skin area does not pose any threat to life and health. What are fleas dangerous to humans? The fact is that these bloodsuckers are carriers of terrible diseases. This is the above bubonic plague, anthrax and encephalitis, tularemia and typhoid. The consequences of "communication" with fleas can be of various types of fungi.
Of course, not every cat or dog flea is a carrier. The probability of meeting such a person in your home is negligible. But we must not forget the danger of fleas for humans. Every year, thousands of cases are recorded in the world when a flea bite became the cause of a dangerous ailment.
The next danger is the appearance of an allergy to flea enzymes. If the affected area is swollen and itchy, it is worth beingware. Therefore, if you suspect that parasites are wound up in the house, start fighting them immediately. Fleas multiply rapidly, and the more insects that live near you, the higher the chance of being bitten.
Transmission methods
There are many myths around these insects. Until now, animal lovers argue among themselves whether cat fleas can pass to humans. Contrary to popular belief, these parasites are not transmitted to humans from animals. But from the latter they settle on the bedding, in the cracks of the wooden floor, and from there they attack the master of the house. And even if there are no pets at home, this does not mean that a person will not be attacked by parasites. They make their way to the apartment through cellars, attics or through rodents. Fleas feel great in crevices and secluded places. That is wherever it is warm and humid. For insects, warm-blooded animals matter not only as a source of fresh blood, but also as a transport. They transport bloodsuckers from place to place.
What to do
How to get rid of fleas in an apartment? This is a complex and multifaceted question. Today, with the advent of modern insecticides, humans can defeat parasites in the shortest possible time, but there is no guarantee that insects will not return again soon. To remove fleas, it is enough to process all the places where they hide from the larva. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a high-quality cleaning of the entire room: to wash the floor and walls. Since you can get rid of fleas in an apartment only by discovering all the places of their reproduction, you will have to work hard and wipe all corners.
Plain water may not be enough. In order for the treatment to be successful, all surfaces must be treated with a solution of Butoks or Neostomazana or their analogues. They are sold in veterinary pharmacies without a prescription and are provided with detailed instructions.
Instruction for action
You can get rid of insects in the apartment with the help of various drugs that are freely available today. These are "Raptor" and "Raid", "Combat" and a number of analogues. Before use, carefully read the instructions. It is necessary to process all things, floors and walls, furniture. Follow some simple guidelines. Before processing, be sure to vacuum the entire apartment. Throw away all the garbage at once, because insect larvae can remain in the dust . Just in case, process the apartment or house twice. If fleas settled in a person’s hair, be sure to treat them with a special shampoo.
Pet protection
Dogs and cats must wear collars with deterrent components or use special drops. If you do not allow the appearance of insects in your pets, then the chances of being bitten by a person are much less. Cat fleas in humans in most cases appear when their pets go for a walk to visit less well-groomed representatives of the genus. To avoid this, the litter is carefully washed, then wormwood is laid on them. The animals themselves need to be redeemed in the Butoks solution.
To understand if pets have parasites, it is enough to observe their behavior. A flea allergy in humans is expressed in the form of scratches on the body, redness on the skin. In animals, in principle, everything is the same. Due to dermatitis, they have a “flea triangle”, that is, a zone of baldness on the croup. If, in addition to the parasites themselves, such a reaction is observed, then glucocorticoids are additionally prescribed.
Instead of a conclusion
There are no separate ways to get rid of fleas in humans. But this is understandable, because bloodsuckers do not live on our body. It is simply not recommended to comb the wounds so that they do not get infection. It is better to treat bites with any disinfectant solution. When itching, you may need to use any soothing ointment. And in any case, it is much easier to prevent them from appearing in your home. If prevention has not yielded results, it will be necessary to make every effort so that the treatment is single and effective.