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The human flea (Pulex irritans) – once also called the house flea [1] – is a cosmopolitan flea species that has, in spite of the common name, a wide host spectrum.It is one of six species in the genus Pulex; the other five are all confined to the Nearctic and Neotropical realms. [2]
Fleas aren't a sign of a home's cleanliness. Instead, experts said they're a regular part of the environment. ... She said a main determinant if you have fleas are long itchy red bites on the skin ...
Flea bites cause a slightly raised, swollen, irritating nodule to form on the epidermis at the site of each bite, with a single puncture point at the centre, like a mosquito bite. [ 34 ] : 126 This can lead to an eczematous itchy skin disease called flea allergy dermatitis , which is common in many host species, including dogs and cats. [ 29 ]
But some experts say the creature that bites you and the sand flea are likely entirely different beasts. South Carolina state entomologist Timothy Drake Jr. has what you need to know about sand fleas.
The most infamous flea-to-human transmitted disease is the bubonic plague, which was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
It is caused by the bacterium Rickettsia typhi, and is transmitted by the fleas that infest rats. While rat fleas are the most common vectors, cat fleas and mouse fleas are less common modes of transmission. These fleas are not affected by the infection. Human infection occurs because of flea-fecal contamination of the bites on human skin.
Don't let fleas take over your house. Follow these expert tips on how to get rid of fleas on pets (dogs included!), furniture, bedding and even in your yard.
A flea's mouth has two functions: one for squirting saliva or partly digested blood into the bite, and one for sucking up blood from the host. This process mechanically transmits pathogens that may cause diseases it might carry. Fleas smell exhaled carbon dioxide from humans and animals and jump rapidly to the source to feed on the newly found ...