Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFlea Bites CausesHow to Identify Flea BitesComplicationsTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Flea Bites Causes
How to Identify Flea Bites
Complications
Treatment
Fleas are parasitic insects that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. When a human has flea bites, they appear as itchy bumps, often in groups of three.
Fleas are known for their leaping capabilities. They can jump more than 100 times their body length, making them resilient and pervasive in their ability to leap from host to host.
This article discusses flea bites, how to identify them, and treatment options.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNetwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Identifying Insect Bites and Stings, and How to Treat Them
Fleas predominantly live on and feed off of animals. Most commonly, flea bites on humans occur because pets bring fleas indoors to areas where humans share space with animals.
To reduce the likelihood of your pet bringing fleas indoors, try the following:
Can Fleas Live in Your Bed?Yes, fleas can live in your bed. While adult fleas bite animals and humans for food, larva feed on debris, like that found in bedding and carpet.Adult fleas tend to lay eggs in these places, so their offspring have plenty of food when they hatch.
Can Fleas Live in Your Bed?
Yes, fleas can live in your bed. While adult fleas bite animals and humans for food, larva feed on debris, like that found in bedding and carpet.Adult fleas tend to lay eggs in these places, so their offspring have plenty of food when they hatch.
5 Reasons You Wake Up With Scratches
Flea bites have several distinguishing features, including:
Fleas are tiny and often hard to see. However, you can usually determine flea bites based on the symptoms. If you notice your pet excessively scratching or biting their skin, losing patches of fur, or scabs on their skin, they could have fleas.
Can Ant Bites Make You Sick?
Complications From Flea Bites
Flea bites are usually not a significant health concern. However, they can result in certain complications, including infection, disease, and allergic reactions.
How to Treat and Treat Itchy, Painful Sand Flea Bites
Infection
Any time your skin endures an injury, including flea bites, there is a risk of infection. Infection from a flea bite usually occurs from scratching the itchy welts. That’s because bacteria from your fingernail can enter the sores when you scratch the flea bites.
Signs of infectioninclude:
Disease
Fleas also carry pathogens that can cause human disease. These diseases include:
Allergic Reaction
Some people can have anallergic reactionto flea bites. Flea allergy dermatitis is a skin condition that can occur in people hypersensitive to flea saliva, feces, or exoskeletons. Symptoms include:
Symptoms most often occur on the hands and feet but can affect the entire body. Flea allergy can also causerespiratory allergysymptoms, especially in those with a cat allergy.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis: An Overview
Flea Bite Treatment
The best way to get rid of flea bites is to eliminate fleas and larvae from your pets and living space. Doing so will prevent you from having to deal with ongoing flea bites. To eliminate fleas, try the following:
In addition to eliminating fleas from your home, treat active flea bites with an oralantihistamineto reduce the itch. Further, topical treatments, like antihistamine and antibacterial ointments,oatmeal baths, and avoiding hot water, can also help.
Summary
Flea bites are small, itchy welts that often occur in patterns of three. Humans usually encounter flea bites from pets, who carry the insects inside. In humans, flea bites most often affect the feet and lower legs, but they can happen anywhere on the body. Flea bites can lead to infection, disease, and allergic reactions. The best way to handle flea bites is to avoid scratching and eliminate fleas from your pets and home.
Fleabites are pretty common, especially if you have pets. Talk to your veterinarian about flea control. In the meantime, try wearing socks over your hands while you sleep if you find yourself scratching at night.
What’s the Difference Between Flea Bites and Bedbug Bites?
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing fleas on your pets.American Kennel Club.What do flea bites look like on dogs?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fleaborne diseases of the United States.Mullen GR, Durden LA, King J.Chapter 10 - Fleas (Siphonaptera). In:Medical and Veterinary Entomology. London: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting rid of fleas.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing fleas on your pets.American Kennel Club.What do flea bites look like on dogs?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fleaborne diseases of the United States.Mullen GR, Durden LA, King J.Chapter 10 - Fleas (Siphonaptera). In:Medical and Veterinary Entomology. London: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting rid of fleas.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing flea bites.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing fleas on your pets.American Kennel Club.What do flea bites look like on dogs?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin infections.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fleaborne diseases of the United States.Mullen GR, Durden LA, King J.Chapter 10 - Fleas (Siphonaptera). In:Medical and Veterinary Entomology. London: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting rid of fleas.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Flea bites.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing flea bites.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing fleas on your pets.
American Kennel Club.What do flea bites look like on dogs?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Skin infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fleaborne diseases of the United States.
Mullen GR, Durden LA, King J.Chapter 10 - Fleas (Siphonaptera). In:Medical and Veterinary Entomology. London: Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting rid of fleas.
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