Ulyana Vosonina/ article author
Medical education. Author of articles on the pest.bigbadmole.com/en/ project

Fleas in humans: how they look and how to get rid

Fleas - dangerous insects, which are mostly parasitic on cats, dogs and other animals. However, in this family there is a species, like a human flea. This type of bloodsucker has spread around the world from South America and is now found where there are people. The insect in appearance and lifestyle is slightly different from its relatives, but does not constantly live on a person even after biteimmediately returns to the shelter.

Human Flea Features

Pulex irritans - the human flea is quite large, its length is approximately 3 mm. Like her relatives, she possesses good jumping ability, overcoming distances to half a meter. Bloodsuckers move freely in human hair, but they can not be there for a long time.
Human fleas have such characteristic features:

  • flattened body, making them difficult to crush;
  • the presence of multiple hooks and hairs placed on the body and limbs;
  • body color from brown to black-brown;
  • lack of wings.
Human flea
Human flea

An adult lives on average several months, but theoretically life span insect can be estimated at 500 days. During this time, the female is able to lay up to five hundred eggs. The human flea in the photo posted on the site will allow you to visually get acquainted with a dangerous parasite. They look almost like other types. Only professional entomologists can distinguish this species from relatives through a microscope. Human parasites may look like small grains of brown color. Due to natural selection, fleas on humans have become virtually invulnerable. Therefore, they do not take care that their bites are painless, but bite deep into the skin of their victim, causing pain.

Bloodsucking human parasites spend most of their lives in secluded places near their victims. Here they lay eggs, from which worm-shaped larvae appear, feeding on rotting organic matter or the excrement of adult fleas. Hungry, human fleas attack people or nearby animals and become saturated with their blood. After a bite, they immediately leave the body of their master.

Varieties of fleas attacking humans

More than 1500 types of parasites that do not differ in affection for their master can choose a person as their victim. These types of fleas in a person's hair are distinguished:

They attack people in the absence of owners. You can protect yourself from the bites of dangerous parasites with fairly simple methods:

  • when traveling to nature, put on clothes that cover arms, legs, hair;
  • avoid visiting unsanitary places;
  • maintain order in the house;
  • use a special remedy for fleas for humans - Off-Extreme, Biban, Gall Rat, Gardex;
  • Do not touch stray animals.

Such an elementary protection against fleas will avoid the unpleasant consequences caused by their bites.

Feedback

By the nature of his activity, he has to contact homeless animals.Manages to protect himself from the bites of bloodsuckers with Gardex. Recommend.

Victor, St. Petersburg

Flea protection
Flea protection

It has been established that almost 90% of ectoparasites live in the basements of residential buildings, from where it settles into apartments. The residents of the lower floors suffer the most from bloodsuckers, although they can also appear in apartments located at the last levels. This is explained by the proximity of the attics, where birds live, in the nests of which pests like to live. Therefore, when they ask the question whether a person can have fleas, the answer can be unequivocal - yes. Since they can penetrate people's homes in a variety of ways:

  • be carried on shoes and clothes;
  • move from neighbors, from basements and attics;
  • go from cats and dogs.

At the first suspicion of the presence of ectoparasites, it is necessary to take urgent measures to remove them from the premises.

Signs of the presence of dangerous pests and the consequences of their bites

The fact that fleas can be in a person's house, first of all, is indicated by bites. They are found not only on the head, but also on other parts of the body. Pests bite very painfully, so it is impossible not to notice this moment. In place of the “meal” of the insect, a reddish spot with a diameter of up to 5 mm or a blister is formed, in the center of which there is a bloody dot. Flea bites on the human body do not go away within 3-5 days. People with hypersensitivity may experience allergic rashes or hives.

Flea bites
Flea bites

Research scientists have confirmed the presence of more than 200 dangerous viruses and bacteria that can spread bloodsuckers if they bite a person. If there are fleas in human hair, then there is a high probability of becoming the owner of such diseases:

  • encephalitis;
  • salmonellosis;
  • Siberian plague
  • brucellosis;
  • tularemia and others.

Most often, fleas in humans cause pulicosis, which is characterized by such symptoms:

  • swelling of the lymph nodes;
  • fever;
  • headache, irritability, insomnia;
  • poorly healing wounds on the mucous membranes and skin;
  • allergic reactions in the form of profuse rashes in the bite area.

All these manifestations indicate that it is urgent to get rid of fleas in humans. The fight can be divided into two stages. The first is the elimination of the consequences of bites of dangerous insects, the second - the destruction of human fleas in domestic conditions. In order to remove the discomfort from the attack of parasites, it is necessary to carry out simple manipulations that will alleviate the suffering. Since there is no cure for fleas for a person, you can get rid of unpleasant sensations yourself:

  1. Treat the site of a flea bite with bactericidal soap or any antiseptic.
  2. Apply ice to the wound to prevent inflammation.
  3. Relieve itching with ointments or other medications.
Flea bites
Flea bites

Important!

If complications arise, you must consult a doctor for treatment with sedative and antihistamines.

How to get rid of fleas on a person’s head is the next step in solving a complex problem. This will require a full range of activities that will protect the human home and its inhabitants from pests.

  • If fleas are noticed in a child in the head or other household members, then they can be removed by treating the skin tar soap.

    Feedback

    I had to worry a bit - the baby was bitten by human fleas. They advised him to wash his hair with tar soap. The result is good.

    Anastasia, Omsk

  • Maintain cleanliness in the house and carry out regular cleanups using affordable and effective flea insecticidesamong which the executioner, Combat, are especially popular. Raptor, Raid, Get, Dobrohim, Tsifoks, as well as dusts Clean House and Pyrethrum.
  • Treat special preparations of pets and their habitat, as fleas can very often start due to their fault;

Feedback

Fleas appeared in the house. The dog was treated with Front Line anti-flea agent, but fleas continued to bite. The Raptor apartment was sanitized. Now everything is calm.

Victor, Vladivostok

The final step in solving the problem of how to remove fleas in humans at home is the professional cleaning of carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, textile coatings from human pests and their larvae. The processing of mattresses, beds and a change of bed linen are also necessary in the complex of events.

Knowing what a person's fleas look like and what needs to be done at the first sign of appearance, you can quickly and efficiently prevent the spread of the infection in the apartment.

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Comments10
  1. Olga

    We live on the first floor. Previously, no insects bothered us, but more recently, itchy red spots appeared on the body. Friends said that it could be human fleas. Advise who faced the problem, what to do?

    1. Sergei

      You can protect yourself with the help of special sprays containing DETA repellent. Well, in the apartment you need to invite the service so that they process the room and, if possible, the basement.

  2. Vladimir

    In the country, fleas began to pester. They thought the dog brought uninvited guests to the house. They treated her, put on a collar, but the parasites continued to bite us. The veterinarian recommended disinfecting the entire house. After applying Getа, rest reigned in the country. Recommend.

  3. Eugene

    Tell me, are there any drugs that can protect against bites of parasites in nature?

    1. Ruslan

      In such cases, I use the aerosol OFF! Extreme Enough for 3 hours, or even more. Give it a try.

  4. Irina

    Thanks for the information. It’s better not to need it, but knowledge has not hurt anyone.

  5. Konstantin

    They rented an apartment on the top floor of the house. Everything was normal, but in the spring some bloodsuckers began to bite us and quite noticeably. Contacted the service, they said that we got fleas. After processing the insects did not, but they advised to sprinkle a little dust Clean house for prevention.

  6. Helena

    Interesting information. It turns out that in the 21st century you can still encounter human fleas. Thanks for the warning.

  7. Nina

    A child picked up a flea somewhere. It’s good that we caught ourselves on time, everything cost a bath with tar soap. A friend advised for prevention to scatter leaves of wormwood or eucalyptus in secluded places. No more parasites are visible and do not bother anyone.

  8. Stanislav

    For the summer they rented a house in the village. But the rest was overshadowed by the appearance of fleas. They did not postpone the problem for a long time and treated the entire room with Dobrohim solution. After that, no one bothered us.

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