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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 ]
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]
As with other fleas, the life cycle consists of eggs, the larval stages, a pupal stage and an adult stage. [7] The larvae have chewing jaws and it is only the adult fleas that are capable of biting the host. Under optimal conditions of temperature and humidity, adults can emerge from the cocoon in 23 days.
She said a main determinant if you have fleas are long itchy red bites on the skin. The reaction could be stronger for those with sensitive skin or allergies. The pests become more of a problem ...
The most infamous flea-to-human transmitted disease is the bubonic plague, which was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.
It is now globally widespread. It is a large flea, easily identified because the male has two heavy horn-like spines on one of the genital flaps, and the female has a deep "bite" on the seventh sternite. [2] It is found in bird nests, and is more likely to be found on the bird's body than, say, the chicken flea, which is normally found in the nest.
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.
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