Fleas are a type of wingless parasite that feeds off the blood of humans and animals such as dogs and cats. A flea bite is red, swollen and intensely itchy, and secondary infections caused by scratching are common. Treatment options include anaesthetic creams and icepacks to reduce the swelling.
Full Answer
Can fleas spread disease to humans?
Sometimes, fleas can infect people or pets with the germs that cause flea-borne typhus, plague, or cat scratch disease.
What are fleas and flea bites?
Fleas are small insects that survive by feeding on animal or human blood. Their bites can cause discomfort, itchiness, and irritation. Sometimes, fleas can infect people or pets with the germs that cause flea-borne typhus, plague, or cat scratch disease.
What are the diseases caused by fleas?
These pathogens may be bacterium such as Rickettsia and Bartonella, or other parasites such as tapeworms. Often, most flea-borne diseases result in common symptoms such as anemia, scratching and alopecia.
What are the symptoms of flea infection?
This disease occurs in rat-infested areas, where fleas become infected by rats. The most common symptoms include high fever, severe headache, chills, weakness and nausea but treatment is available and patients often respond quickly. Unfortunately, pets can bring plague or murine typhus-infected fleas into the home.
How do fleas transmit disease?
Fleas poop when they feed. The poop (also called flea dirt) can then be rubbed into the bite wound or other wounds causing infection. People can also breathe in infected flea dirt or rub it into their eyes. This bacteria is not spread from person to person.
What are the symptoms of fleas?
The bite of a flea has certain features, including:It is extremely itchy.A red, swollen weal develops within half an hour of the bite.After a day or so, the weal (lump) may develop into a blister or small wound.The legs and feet are often targeted.Secondary infections caused by scratching are common.More items...
What disease can fleas give humans?
Diseases transmitted by fleasBubonic plague. The most well-known flea transmitted disease is the Bubonic plague. ... Murine typhus. This is a rare disease in North America, but a few cases of Murine Typhus are reported each year and mostly originating in southwestern states. ... Tungiasis. ... Tularemia.
How do you treat for fleas?
Thoroughly bathe pets with soap and water, then comb them with a flea comb. Pay careful attention to face and neck regions, and the area in front of the tail. Soap will act as a gentle insecticide to kill adult fleas. Talk to your veterinarian about choosing the right flea control product for your pet.
Can fleas bite humans?
Do fleas bite humans? Fleas bite humans. However, the flea species that commonly bother dogs and cats don't live on humans. Dogs and cats have much more hair than humans.
Where do fleas come from?
Fleas originate from another infested animal. They easily spread between different animals and then make their way into your home when the pets come in for a visit or to sleep. Outside, fleas can typically be found in shady areas, near long grass or bushes, while they wait for a host to pass by.
Where are fleas found?
Fleas do not survive well outdoors in hot, sunny lawns. Relative humidity less than 50 percent or soil temperature higher than 95 degrees F kills flea larvae. Moist, shaded spots near pet resting areas are the places to find fleas. Indoors, flea larvae are usually found under furniture and in pet bedding.
Why do fleas bite me?
Fleas feed on blood and they want blood from mammals. This includes pets, sure, and other animals, but they are more than willing to feed on humans, too. Fleas will bite a human to get at the blood vessels below the skin and their bodies are built to do so.
What happens if I swallow a flea?
According to Dr. Pritt, for the most part, eating a bug isn't cause for worry. In general, your body will digest arthropods, which include arachnids like spiders, mites, and ticks, and insects such as gnats, flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and bedbugs, “just like any other food,” she says.
How do you catch fleas?
0:372:43Homemade Natural Flea Trap - Easy and Safe Flea Killer DIY - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey say do warm water but I think warm or cold water works fine and then you mix it with a littleMoreThey say do warm water but I think warm or cold water works fine and then you mix it with a little bit of dish soap mix. It up with the dish soap.
What contact kills fleas?
Rubbing alcohol does kill fleas on contact. However, it's not a good way to tackle a flea infestation. Alcohol can be toxic to animals. It's easily absorbed through their skin, and if they ingest a large enough amount, it could be fatal.
Can fleas live in your bed?
Can Fleas Live in Your Bed? These pests infest multiple areas in homes, especially mattresses, cushions, and carpeting. Pets transfer fleas to the beds and furniture where they sleep. From here, the insects quickly spread around the house.
Can a tick transmit HGE?
This disease, more commonly referred to as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) is most commonly transmitted to humans by Lone Star ticks, although like the other blood transmitted pathogens, HGE can not be completely ruled out as also being a transmissible disease spread by fleas.
Can fleas spread to humans?
While there is a possibility of this disease being spread to humans by fleas, the subject has been debated and the majority of infected bites are attributed to ticks instead.
What are Flea-Borne Diseases?
Fleas are flightless insects, which often parasitize animals such as rodents, birds, wild mammals and companion animals. As a result of their ability to infect a vast variety of species fleas have been known to be carriers of multiple pathogens and diseases.
Diagnosis of Flea-Borne Diseases in Dogs
Veterinarians may make their diagnosis of dermatitis simply through a visual examination of your pet. This will include examining for fleas, identifying areas in which hair growth has diminished and inflammation around cracked skin.
Treatment of Flea-Borne Diseases in Dogs
Flea allergy dermatitis may be treated by the use of regular topical flea treatments on your dog. Veterinarians may treat the infected dog with insect growth regulators that significantly reduce the growth rate and development of the larvae.
Recovery of Flea-Borne Diseases in Dogs
Flea-borne diseases may vary from viral and bacterial infections to allergic reactions. When a dog develops flea allergy dermatitis, veterinarians will suggest treating your pet with topical treatments on a regular basis, particularly during summer and fall months.
How do tapeworms spread to humans?
What it is: One of the grossest, most easily noticed diseases in dogs and cats, tapeworms are contagious to dogs, cats and humans, and are transmitted via the lowly flea. In order to become infected with this flea disease, dogs, cats or humans must ingest a flea that is infected with tapeworm larvae. Cats and dogs usually ingest these fleas while grooming; less commonly, humans become infested by ingesting a flea on accident. Tapeworm larvae hatch from the infected flea, attach themselves to the intestine, feed off the host and reproduce. Tapeworms are usually noticed when they release egg packets called proglottids that leave the body via the dog’s anus, and look like little grains of rice.
What is a FAD?
What it is: FAD for short, flea allergy dermatitis is an intensely itchy skin disease due to an allergy to flea bites. Afflicted dogs and cats can be so itchy that they scratch their skin raw. Affected pets can be so sensitive that the bite of just one flea can cause intense itching and scratching!
What is the treatment for fleas?
Treatment starts by removing the flea, suffocating the flea, or killing it with anti-parasitic medications. 5. Bubonic Plague. Believe it or not, the Bubonic plague, which caused the Black Death that killed many humans, is still alive and well.
Why do fleas jump into your mouth?
Humans and pets become infected with tapeworms if they consume an affected flea, and the more fleas you have in your home , the more likely it is that one may jump into your mouth, food or drink.
What are the symptoms of a flea bite?
Symptoms are often flu-like, so you may have a fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. Treatment will include antibiotics to kill the bacteria. 3. Murine Typhus. If a flea bites an animal that has the Rickettsia typhi bacteria, it may spread it to you, causing murine typhus or flea-borne typhus.
What is fungiasis caused by?
Tungiasis is caused by a specific type of flea: Tunga flea. These fleas are a little different than most fleas because they don't just bite, feed, and leave . They bite to open the skin, and then they burrow into the skin to feed directly from blood vessels . Luckily, these types of fleas can't jump as well as other fleas, so they most commonly affect the feet and lower legs.
What happens if you get a tapeworm?
However, if the tapeworms become big or are left untreated, you may experience nausea, fatigue, weight loss, vitamin deficiency, diarrhea, and weakness. Treatment is usually as easy as taking a medication to kill the parasitic worm. However, you will have to pass the dead worm. 2. Bartonellosis.
Can a tunga flea jump?
Luckily, these types of fleas can't jump as well as other fleas, so they most commonly affect the feet and lower legs. If you do get infected with a Tunga flea, it will create a lesion 4 to 10 mm in diameter, which can be painful and itchy.
Can fleas spread to humans?
But fleas, like so many insects and pests, can also spread disease to humans. If you have fleas in your home, you should consider calling your local pest control experts. If you let the fleas run rampant, they may spread one or more of these five disease. 1.
What is the disease of a louse?
It’s also called tsutsugamushi disease. The louse, flea, tick, or mite becomes a carrier of the bacteria when they feed on the blood of an infected person (epidemic typhus) or an infected rodent (any of the three typhus forms mentioned above).
How does scratching a typhus bite work?
Scratching the bite further opens the skin and allows the bacteria greater access to the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria continue to reproduce and grow. There are three different types of typhus: The type of typhus you are infected with depends on what bit you.
What is typhus caused by?
What is typhus? Typhus is a disease caused by infection with one or more rickettsial bacteria. Fleas, mites (chiggers), lice, or ticks transmit it when they bite you. Fleas, mites, lice, and ticks are types of invertebrate animals known as arthropods. When arthropods carrying around rickettsial bacteria bite someone, ...
How long does it take for typhus to show up?
The incubation period for the disease is five to 14 days, on average. This means that symptoms won’t usually appear for up to five to 14 days after you are bitten. Travelers who get typhus while traveling abroad may not experience symptoms until they are back home.
How long does typhus last?
low blood pressure (hypotension) eye sensitivity to bright lights. severe muscle pain. The symptoms of endemic typhus last for 10 to 12 days and are very similar to the symptoms of epidemic typhus but are usually less severe. They include: dry cough.
Where does typhus occur?
Typhus outbreaks usually only occur in developing countries or in regions of poverty, poor sanitation, and close human contact. Typhus is generally not a problem in the United States, but you may become infected while traveling abroad. Untreated typhus can lead to serious complications, and it’s potentially fatal.
Can typhus be transmitted from person to person?
Typhus is not transmitted from person to person like a cold or the flu. There are three different types of typhus, and each type is caused by a different type of bacterium and transmitted by a different type of arthropod.
What is the plague caused by?
Plague is an infectious disease caused by a specific type of bacterium called Yersinia pestis. Y. pestis can affect humans and animals and is spread mainly by fleas. Bubonic plague is one type of plague. It gets its name from the swollen lymph nodes (buboes) caused by the disease.
How did the plague get its name?
It gets its name from the swollen lymph nodes (buboes) caused by the disease. The nodes in the armpit, groin and neck can become as large as eggs and can ooze pus. The other types of plague are: Septicemic plague, which happens when the infection goes all through the body.
What are the symptoms of the septicemic plague?
Sudden high fever and chills. Pains in the areas of the abdomen, arms and legs. Headaches. Large and swollen lumps in the lymph nodes (buboes) that develop and leak pus. Symptoms of septicemic plague may include blackened tissue from gangrene, often involving the fingers or toes, or unusual bleeding.
Where does the Bubonic Plague occur?
Bubonic plague still occurs throughout the world and in the U.S., with cases in Africa, Asia, South America and the western areas of North America. About seven cases of plague happen in the U.S. every year on average. Half of the U.S. cases involve people aged 12 to 45 years.
Where do plague cases occur?
In the U.S., most plague cases in people happen in two areas: Northern New Mexico, northern Arizona and southern Colorado, and another area involving California, southern Oregon and western Nevada.
Can fleas live on chipmunks?
The fleas can also live on chipmunks and rabbits. Take care to protect your pets and yourself from fleas and the possible infections they can carry. Make sure to contact your healthcare provider if you develop high fever, chills and especially symptoms like swollen and painful lymph nodes.
Can fleas spread to humans?
Humans who are bitten by the fleas then can come down with plague. It’s an example of a disease that can spread between animals and people (a zoonotic disease). It can be noted that cats in particular are vulnerable to plague and can be infected by eating sick rodents.
What is the most well known flea disease?
Bubonic plague. The most well-known flea transmitted disease is the Bubonic plague. In the 14th century, the bubonic plague (known as the “Black Death”) became an epidemic and killed 25 million people - up to 50% of the European population.
What is the name of the flea that eats your feet?
This disease is transmitted by the burrowing flea (Tunga penetrans), which is also commonly known as a chigger flea or sand flea (amongst others). It usually affects the feet, where the flea anchors itself into the skin and burrows into the epidermis.
What is the cause of tularemia?
Tularemia is a potentially serious illness that occurs naturally in North America. It is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis and found in animals like rodents. It can be transferred to humans by an infected flea or tick bite.
What is the disease that is transmitted by a tick?
Tularemia is a potentially serious illness that occurs naturally in North America. It is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis and found in animals like rodents. It can be transferred to humans by an infected flea or tick bite. Common symptoms include sudden fever, chills, diarrhea, joint pain and gradual weakness.
How does the plague spread?
Today, the plague still occurs worldwide, with only a handful of cases each year reported in the southwestern U.S. The plague is carried by rodents and transmitted to fleas that bite them, which is how it is transferred to humans and pets. Thankfully, successful treatment can be achieved through the use of antibiotics.
Can pets bring plague?
The most common symptoms include high fever, severe headache, chills, weakness and nausea but treatment is available and patients often respond quickly. Unfortunately, pets can bring plague or murine typhus-infected fleas into the home.
Do flea bites disappear?
In most cases, the itchiness and red bite marks slowly disappear without any long term effects to your health. However, because fleas are recognized disease and parasite vectors and can cause allergic reactions in more sensitive people or pets, it is important to know about the different possible diseases they can transmit.
