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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.
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]
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 ]
Being able to tell the difference between, say, a fleabite, a bed bug bite, and a mosquito bite can mean the difference between an infestation (fleas, bed bugs) and figuring out whether the ...
Typically, fleas bite below the knee, but if you are a pet owner (and sleep with your pet), your entire body may be at risk. “Flea bites look like a miniature version of mosquito bites,” Dr ...
These insects tend to bite people’s heads, arms and legs, said Drake, because, as cattle pests, they go for hairy parts of the body. Protecting your head by wearing a hat is the most effective ...
By stage 2 (days 1–2), penetration is complete and the flea has burrowed most of its body into the skin. Only the anus, the copulatory organs, and four rear air holes in fleas called stigmata remain on the outside of the epidermis. The anus will excrete feces that is thought to attract male fleas for mating, described in a later section.
There are more than 2,000 species of tiny (0.04 to 0.15 inches), wingless, blood-sucking fleas that live on the body of the host they infest. Although fleas cannot fly, they have developed ...