Fleas on Humans

Fleas on Humans – Often confused with Bed Bugs
We tend to think of fleas as creatures that our cat or dog brings into the house, yet fleas on humans are also a frequently observed problem. Whereas fleas on cats and fleas on dogs cause the animal discomfort and, by biting us, cause us to suffer in a mild way, it is important to understand that these are different species from the same family; the human flea will not live on cats and dogs, and cat and dog fleas – although they can live on either – will not live on humans, merely bite us and leave us with a nasty itch.
Fleas are practically ubiquitous, that is they occur everywhere, and are also very resilient indeed; they have developed over many millions of years to become among the most prevalent parasites in the world, and are a constant source of embarrassment and annoyance to us and our pets.
We know when we are suffering from human fleas as the irritation is more pronounced; a bite from a cat or dog flea will leave a mark and not recur, whereas bites from human fleas will occur in many places, all the time.
What is interesting to know is that it is very likely the carpets, bedding and soft furnishings of a house are likely to harbour more human fleas than we are, as they live in these places and emerge to feed – on our blood.
In fact, the human flea has undergone a great deal of evolutionary changes in its lifetime, and is now able to live on other animals; in particular it is partial to pigs, and human flea infestations are common among pig farmers as the parasites can jump a great distance and leap from pig to man.
It is important to keep young children away from fleas as they are more susceptible to allergenic reactions than adults, and flea bites can induce such a reaction in some cases. Flea bites can, if left to get out of control, result in exaggerated skin infections, and thus require treatment.
There are many ways of killing fleas, but rest assured that catching them is impossible! Vacuuming the house – particularly soft furnishings and bedding – will remove eggs, and there are many different sprays and other treatments that can be readily bought. There are also professional pest control services that will remove fleas, but it is perhaps the best form of treatment to keep you cat and dog well powdered with flea treatment, and to keep a close eye out for the tell tale bites on your own body.