Flea bites on a person, photo: symptoms, description and treatment

Despite their small size, fleas bite quite painfully. In comparison, with many insects that care about being unnoticed. Fleas are confident in their invulnerability and don’t even hide. But if you find a flea on yourself, catching it is problematic. She is capable of jumping up to a meter away and can move chaotically, so it is not always possible to track where she jumped. Even after catching it, crushing it is problematic, thanks to its chitinous cover, which is durable and flexible. How to recognize flea bites on a person photo.

Often, flea attacks are confused with the bites of other blood-sucking insects. There are a lot of parasites that are attracted to human blood. Often marks from mosquito bites, bedbugs and small midges can be confused with fleas. You can determine who is biting you by their location and appearance. Many insect bites leave red, slightly swollen spots. Therefore, it is worth knowing the characteristic features of some blood-sucking insects.

Bed bugs feed only at night and leave a characteristic trail of 5-7 tracks.
Midges bite once, and, in most cases, the area becomes noticeably swollen.
Mosquitoes also do not go unnoticed, however, at the moment when the mosquito feeds, the person does not feel pain.

But fleas do not have the ability to inject an analgesic, therefore, the distinguishing feature is that you feel the pain immediately. The photo shows favorite places. As a rule, these are the legs, in the shin area, sometimes the arms and body.

The main symptom is a sharp pain, as if pricked by a needle. A small reddish dot may form at the site of the bite, possibly with traces of dried blood. The skin in this area turns red and a swelling appears, the size of which depends on the individual reaction of the body. After some time itching occurs. If the area has been scratched, there is a risk of introducing infectious diseases.

What types of fleas do you encounter at home?

A flea under a microscope
There are many types of these insects. However, dog, cat and rat fleas most often find themselves in our apartments and houses . In addition to them, there are also specialized, human ones. But they are not as common as the ones listed above due to the purposeful maintenance of cleanliness of the body and home by people.

Different types of fleas, as a rule, each prefer to live on their own host. However, they can bite many other animals . It also goes to humans. If the “beloved” owner is not nearby, then insects are able to live comfortably on other victims. For example, on cats you can find a population of fleas, up to 25% represented by human fleas. And vice versa. Thus, these insects will definitely not be left without food.

The human flea is generally cosmopolitan . It can be found not only on all pets, but also on other animals. For example, horses. However, these bloodsuckers do not spend all their time on the host. So, many of them very calmly continue to live in rodent burrows, bird nests and other habitats of animals when they leave their home.

In addition, these parasites with enviable success are able to withstand long-term lack of food - up to 1.5 years! Therefore, it will not be possible to get rid of fleas by temporarily moving to another home in the hope of starving them to death. In this case, only offensive-exterminating tactics will help in the fight against aggressors .

What to do if a child is bitten

How to act, what medications to use, how to treat flea bites in a child? Questions that worry many inexperienced parents who are encountering these unpleasant insects for the first time.

The main condition for successfully combating the consequences of flea bites is to act immediately. The sooner you provide help, the greater the chance of preventing dangerous consequences for the baby.

If the parasite managed to bite a child at home, there will not be any special difficulties. You can even cope with irritation using improvised means that can be found in any housewife’s cabinet.

Everything is much more complicated if you had to encounter insects in nature. In this case, it is better to stock up on medications in advance that will relieve discomfort and pain.

First aid

Before treating flea bites in children with any means (medicinal or folk), it is recommended to thoroughly rinse the affected area of skin. Use soap (preferably antibacterial) - it will reduce the risk of infection in the wound. Take only cool water - warm or hot liquid will only increase irritation.

You can also apply a piece of ice wrapped in a clean cloth to the affected area. An ice compress will relieve itching and pain. Do not overuse – a few minutes are enough to get rid of discomfort.

Additionally, treat the bite with any disinfectant - peroxide or chlorhexidine. Use the preparations only on dry and clean skin.

Basic treatment

Soap, peroxide or other disinfectants only relieve painful discomfort for a short time. You cannot do without stronger drugs or special home remedies.

Before treating flea bites on a child, you need to make sure that the irritation does not spread to healthy areas of the body.

In such cases, it is better to give preference to pharmaceutical drugs. If there are only a few bites and they do not cause any particular concern, you can resort to home remedies.

Medicines

What medications are best to choose for oral administration (antihistamines are most often taken) and how to smear a child’s flea bites? It is better to find out this from a doctor who will select the most effective treatment based on the individual characteristics of the baby.

If it is not possible to consult a specialist, you can resort to one of these remedies:

Bepanten. Recommended specifically for children. The cream has wound healing, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. At the same time, it moisturizes the skin, protecting against dryness and flaking, which can appear if you are prone to allergies.
Calamine lotion. Will quickly help cope with the consequences of a flea bite. It will relieve itching, painful discomfort, and prevent the appearance of a tumor or lump.
Psilo-balm. It is recommended if the child’s skin reacts to a flea bite not only with itching and burning, but also with swelling. It contains diphenhydramine, which relieves pain.
Nezulin. The peculiarity of the drug is the herbal components in the composition. The product simultaneously relieves all the symptoms of a flea bite - itching, pain, irritation.

Among the drugs recommended for oral administration, you can use Tavegil tablets. This antihistamine will relieve itching and prevent the occurrence of dermatitis and urticaria, which often develop as a result of allergies caused by flea bites.

Folk remedies

If you need to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by parasite bites immediately, and there are no special drugs at hand, it is recommended to use simple but effective folk remedies. You can anoint the affected area with the following means:

Soda solution. It will relieve unpleasant discomfort, reduce swelling, and relieve itching. Dilute about 20 grams in warm water (100 ml). soda, stir until the grains dissolve. Add a few drops of ammonia. Soak cotton wool in the product and press it onto the painful area for 10-15 minutes.
Potato or onion compress. Grate potatoes (no need to peel) or peeled onion. Place a homogeneous paste on the painful area and leave until the pain completely disappears.
Honey remedy. Squeeze the juice from several lemon slices, add natural honey (10 g). Stir until smooth. Treat the lesion with a solution of honey and lemon juice - apply a thin layer of the mixture and leave for half an hour.
Garlic. This method is only suitable for older children. In children, a spicy vegetable can only worsen allergies. Cut the garlic clove into two parts, apply the cut side to the bite, and wait until the discomfort disappears.

If you happen to encounter parasites in nature, and there is no soda, honey or potatoes at hand, plants will come to the rescue. Make a compress of plantain or parsley leaves on the affected skin.

You can treat the bite with dandelion juice. There is no need to specifically squeeze it out - a light liquid appears at the cut site, which can be immediately applied to the wound left by the insect.

Features of feeding and flea bites

Fleas are surprisingly very voracious insects. They drink much more blood than they can contain . As a result, excess “food” protrudes at the rear end of the body. The question may arise: why such wastefulness? However, here nature has provided for everything.

The younger generation feeds on the waste products of adults. And since flea feces contain a lot of undigested blood, they become a valuable source of nutrients for young animals that are not yet able to provide their own food. So we can say that this is a “waste-free production”. Nothing goes to waste. Having attached itself, one flea can feast for up to 4 hours if it is not disturbed. In this case, all excess blood comes out and prepares food for the larvae.

One flea can bite its victim up to 30 times. The distance between bites is 1-2 centimeters . They look like randomly located clusters of red spots. Most often the legs are attacked (fleas jump up to 50 cm in height). However, pets who like to sleep on your bed can bring these parasites there too. In this case, you can expect the bites to be visible all over the body.

Is it dangerous for humans?

When wondering whether moose fleas are dangerous for humans, it should immediately be noted that the main danger is the incredible gluttony of the bloodsucker.

Considering the daily blood consumption required for them, the massiveness of the attacks, one can say that a large loss of blood can lead to death.

In the absence of a sufficient number of large animals in the habitat of adult individuals, they are forced to attack humans. Therefore, going into the forest without using special protective measures can lead to irreparable consequences.

Once on human skin, the flea remains motionless for some time, after which it begins to eat.

If you notice an individual in time and shake it off before the bite, you can maintain a healthy state. If a bite occurs, after 20 minutes redness, swelling, and severe itching will form at the site of the injury. It is possible that the skin may develop blisters with liquid inside.

Despite the above, moose fleas are dangerous to humans only in the number of bites, after which erythrema or an allergic reaction may occur, since they are not carriers of infectious diseases.

What are the signs of fleas in the house?

What do flea bites look like?
First of all, of course, the bites themselves . Sometimes they resemble an allergic reaction. Especially if there are a lot of them.

Another sign is restless behavior in pets . They begin to itch a lot, lick themselves, and run away from their usual bed (there, as a rule, the concentration of fleas is maximum). Cats often try to climb higher to escape from annoying insects.

The third sign is the presence of the insects themselves. If there is a severe infestation or if you have light-colored floors, fleas may be directly visible. If you look closely. From above they look like small, black, shiny, moving dots . Sometimes you even manage to catch some specimens. If you see such people, immediately sound the alarm. Fleas multiply very quickly and there is no point in delaying their destruction . Either poison yourself or call a disinfection specialist.

What are the consequences of domestic flea bites?

First, we note that the proximity to these insects is by no means pleasant. At least from a hygienic point of view. Fleas live in dirty places, and their larvae feed on the feces of adults . This alone makes you think about a more careful attitude to sanitary standards in the room.

Another annoying fact is that pet flea bites are quite painful . The fact is that, unlike bedbugs and many other blood-sucking insects, when fleas bite, they do not inject any substances into the victim’s skin that have anesthetic and other effects . Therefore, their bites are often sensitive. Although, of course, everything is individual. There are extremely unresponsive people who do not pay any attention to such insect attacks.

However, the saliva of these parasites causes at least redness at the site of the bite . Often these spots itch and itch for several days. Local swelling appears due to inflammation of the skin area.

But this is not the most dangerous consequence. Some insects transmit dangerous diseases when bitten . Most of them are completely curable with modern medicine. However, they should not be started, since success in treatment largely depends on the stage of the disease at which therapy was started.

Room treatment

The same groups of drugs are used as for treating animals. FOS and cyanopyrethroids have proven themselves well for treating premises. But first, mechanical cleaning is used with a vacuum cleaner (paying special attention to cracks, upholstered furniture, back walls of cabinet furniture), wet cleaning and only then products. You can use several drugs at the same time, or you can use just one. Keep in mind: you will need both a liquid diluted in water to wash the floor so that the water and product flows into the cracks, and sprays. If the flooring is sensitive to excessive moisture, then a spray can be used to treat the baseboards.

Diseases transmitted by flea bites

All types of fleas can be contagious and carry pathogens of various diseases . The most famous of them is the plague. In the Middle Ages, it “mowed down” most of Europe. At the moment, with timely treatment, it is successfully managed. However, in advanced cases the consequences are very sad, even fatal.

Plague stick

Plague is caused by a bacterium called the plague bacillus. Microbes enter the digestive tract of fleas when they suck blood on sick animals. The fact is that in the last hours of an infected creature’s life, plague bacteria enter the bloodstream en masse . If at this moment the fleas drink their blood, then along with the food they receive the causative agents of the plague. Bacteria do not die in the body of insects, but continue to multiply intensively.

The bacilli are transmitted to subsequent hosts in two ways. On the one hand, many microbes are contained in flea feces , which they regularly excrete. This is how plague bacteria can enter a wound on the body of a person or animal. Scratching the injury site also helps with this. Therefore, it is important not to touch these areas of the body with your hands , but if you find a flea bite, first of all disinfect the wound . This will destroy any possible harmful bacteria that the bloodsucker could leave behind.

Another way for plague pathogens to enter the host’s body through a flea bite is through the insect’s saliva . In general, it is not contagious. However, sometimes bacteria multiply so strongly in the body of an infected aggressor that they clog the passage in the digestive tract. Therefore, the blood, encountering an obstacle, can flow back along with the infection, infecting the host.

One way or another, no matter how the infection occurs, fleas are directly involved in it. In addition to plague, these insects can transmit tularemia, typhus, parasitic dermatitis, worms and some other diseases . All of them have very unpleasant consequences. Therefore, under no circumstances should we postpone the fight against these insects. Take measures to destroy them as soon as you find fleas in the house.

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How to get rid of fleas, read here - Fleas in the house: how to get rid of them?

Itching relievers

Products for relieving the sensation of itching, which only intensifies after scratching, are produced in the following format:

ointments;
sprays;
emulsions;
suspensions;
tablets;
lotions.

The following pharmacological compounds have proven their effectiveness:

Calamine. The product is in the form of a white lotion based on zinc carbonate. Instantly relieves itching (the product is even used to relieve itching sensations during chickenpox), removes tissue swelling and promotes wound healing. The bite sites are treated with a cotton pad or swab dipped in the substance three times a day until the redness completely disappears. It has no contraindications and is used for adults and children.
Fenistil. Local action gel relieves itching, burning and pain. Apply to the affected area 3-4 times a day. It is available in a convenient tube format, but has a number of contraindications. Not recommended for use on children, pregnant and lactating women.
Flucinar. Hormonal ointment, which is recommended to be rubbed into the wound with massage movements twice a day. It has contraindications for use; it should be used only as prescribed by a doctor and no more than 2 g per day.
Hydrocortisone. A glucocorticosteroid drug based on hormonal components. Available by prescription in 10 g tubes, used only for external use.
Antihistamine tablets: Suprastin, Claritin, Loratadine, Diphenhydramine. Relieves allergy symptoms and is easy to use. However, the effect of relieving itching is not achieved immediately, but 20–30 minutes after taking the medicine. Tablets also do not protect the wound from inflammation.