Fleas are flightless insects that survive as external parasites. They live by consuming the blood of their hosts. In most cases, you would find fleas on the body of a dog or any other animal.
Even though this is true, there is one thing that many people do not know. Fleas can also get onto human beings.
Although this is not common, it is a menace that needs to be addressed urgently. Therefore, we are going to look into the world of fleas and the attack on human beings.
Why Do Fleas Bite Humans?
An important thing you need to know about fleas is that they are blood feeders. This means that they eat and survive on blood. So, where do they get this blood? As earlier stated, fleas are parasites.
This means they attack other beings to get food (blood). The place that fleas target the most is the blood vessel. This is because that is where all the blood passes through.
In essence, there is a constant supply of blood at the vessels and is in high demand. Basically, the sole purpose of biting humans is to look for blood.
How Do Fleas Get Onto People?
As mentioned above, fleas are flightless animals. They are unable to fly because they lack wings. So a person wonders, how do fleas get into people? Fleas have incredible jumping skills and abilities.
Such capabilities are what make up for their inability to fly. In fact, a flea can jump many times longer than the length of its own body. With such capabilities, a flea can jump onto the body of any human being on sight.
Once they are on the body, fleas can easily over through any amount of hair on the body. All of this is thanks to their flat body shape. The movement around the body is attributed to the fact that they are searching for the “perfect spot.” The perfect spot, in this case, is the place on the body where the flea can easily reach the blood.
There is a vital attribute of fleas that you should be keen on. Fleas usually fall off the body of a parasite once they lay eggs. Thereafter they will gradually hide in hardwood floor cracks, carpeting, and even furniture.
They do this as they wait on the next host. This particular characteristic is dangerous. This is because, through this, fleas end up spreading across the house onto the body of every resident.
Are Flea Bites Dangerous For Humans?
A lot of people wonder whether flea bites are dangerous for human beings. This best answer is yes. However, there is a wide variety of effects depending on the type of flea. In most cases, you would find a person with red bumps on the affected area, which are quite itchy. The itchiness is caused by the reaction of the saliva injected into the bloodstream.
The fact that such bites cause irritation, you may be tempted to scratch the bumps. That is where problems start. Scratching can transfer dirt from your fingers to the affected area. The transfer of dirt can cause severe infections.
Other types of fleas carry diseases within their systems. A good example of a flea that carries a disease is the Chigoe flea. If not properly treated, infections from a Chigoe flea could lead to limb amputation.
Another dangerous species is the oriental rat flea. When this flea bites, you can easily get the Bubonic plague. Bubonic plague is a stubborn bacterial infection characterized by high fevers and vomiting.
What Does a Flea Bite Look Like?
Flea bites are usually red that generally look like dots. The red dots usually appear in groups of two or three. In most cases, the areas surrounding these spots would have a certain degree of redness.
In other cases, the areas surrounding them would be light-halo. Make sure you check your entire body if you suspect you have flea bites. Much scrutiny should be put on the lower parts of the legs and ankle. This is because those are the areas fleas love attacking the most.
Other than the bite marks, you can look out for other symptoms. These symptoms can help you notice flea infestations and seek medical care. Some of the symptoms are;
- In most cases, affected individuals may have difficulty in breathing. They may also experience shortness of breath. Shortness of breath is what makes them wheezing frequently.
- After being bitten several times, a person may feel dizzy.
- Some people are more sensitive to such bites that their lips and tongue start swelling.
- There are other instances where someone feels like vomiting.
- An affected individual may get chest pains.
How to Treat Flea Bites?
Here are some remedies for flea bites;
- Clean the affected areas with antiseptic soap to reduce the risk of infection.
- You can place an icepack on the affected area from time to time to prevent swelling.
- Use antihistamine medications. These medications help in treating the itching.
- Make sure you seek the advice of a doctor for possible tapeworm infection.
- See a doctor if symptoms worsen or if you get a secondary infection. A clear indicator of a secondary infection is the discharge of pus from the wound.
Conclusion
The infestation of a flea on human beings happens through jumping onto their bodies. Once there, fleas bite and dig under your skin to get to the blood vessels. The ultimate goal of a flea is to get to your blood and feed on it.
As they do this, they cause devastating effects on your body. One of these effects is visible, and that is a red spot. If proper care is not taken, these spots could lead to infections. Another effect of flea bites is the transmission of dangerous diseases.
The best thing to do in case you get a flea bite is to clean the area with antiseptic. After that, seek medical advice. All in all, you should invest heavily in extermination services.
Basically, you should call a professional pest remover, who will take care of the removal process of all fleas in your home.