Flea Bites

Fleas are small bloodsucking insects that not only live on our pet's body, but on the human body as well. Flea bites are the most common among the other insect bites on the humans. There are many types of fleas like dog flea, cat flea or human fleas that can bite human beings. Before starting the discussion, let me tell you some interesting facts about the fleas. Did you know that fleas don't have wings?

Fleas are good athletes and can jump twelve to fourteen inches at a time. A female flea starts the process of laying eggs approximately after forty-eight hours and lay nearly two hundred eggs in a day. The eggs are oval shaped and light in color. The life-span of an adult flea is few months even without feeding. Isn't that amazing?

Bites on Humans

Fleas attack the human body with the help of its jaws that cut through the skin. They usually bite on the areas that are easily accessible like hands, legs, face, feet, etc. The saliva of the flea contains anticoagulant that does not allow coagulating and helps in continuous flow of blood, thus making the task of fleas easier. They host on many and also transmit diseases from one body to another. Some of the most common diseases spread by fleas are bubonic plague, murine typhus, larvae and tapeworm.

There are five types of fleas out of that two are common among those who have pets in their houses - Ctenocephalides canis or dog fleas, and the Ctenocephalides felis or cat fleas. Three other types of fleas are Xenopsylla cheopis or rat flea, Echidnophaga gallinacean or hen flea and the last one is Pulex irritans or human flea. All these fleas cause a similar type of bites and are equally capable of transmitting diseases. The most common among these five fleas are, cat, dog and human fleas that cause human bites.

What do these bites look like? Different kinds of reactions are observed on different people. The common reactions are redness of the skin near the affected area, the area becomes a bit hard, slightly swell and itches. Some people with sensitive skin develop severe reaction to the insect bite. Itching all over the body or only the affected area is also observed. The infestations of fleas are generally observed in the month of summer, when the pets get infected by the fleas. In humans, these bites are seen in waist and lower legs. The fleas move up to the waist and other parts with the help of small bristles. The reactions of this insect bites have various effects on different people and it depends on individual sensitivity. Children are most prone and sensitive to bites. Now, after learning about the causes and symptoms, let's also learn about the treatment options.

Treating Flea Bite

The bites can be cured by following some simple steps.

• Do not scratch the affected area because the fleas defecate when they bite and if you scratch, it might spread to other areas. Scratch leads to wounds and then to infections.
• The affected area should be washed using antiseptic cleaner. Cold water should be used instead of warm water that triggers itching. You can also use tea tree oil to reduce itching.
• To reduce the swelling in the affected area, cold compress should be used.
• To reduce inflammation in the affected area, steroid cream can be used. Other ointments like calamine lotion can also be applied for the same effect.
• The unbearable itching can be reduced by using antihistamine.

If you observe some other symptoms other than the common ones, then you should immediately consult a physician to avoid any accident. Now, after getting information you were looking for, you must make sure that it does not happen again. For this you have to take care that you get rid of the fleas from your surrounding and house. You may also take the help of pest control or flea control methods, dehumidify the house and increase the usage of flea repellent during summers to stop the bites and their effects on the family.