Do Fleas Give Humans Diseases?
WouterFleas are parasites that live on warm-blooded animals like dogs and cats. They may also bite humans. Some of them may not bother you until you get rid of your pet, and then they may begin biting you when they get hungry. Usually, flea bites occur on the legs, buttocks, and lower abdomen.
Fleas can also transmit diseases to humans, such as plague, which is a severe disease that affects humans. This disease is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis and is transmitted through flea bites. Humans usually contract the disease from infected animals, but in some cases, humans may be exposed through their contact with the blood or feces of the infected animals.
Murine typhus is a rare disease in the United States. It is typically transmitted through a bite from an infected flea, but it can also be transmitted through contact with the flea’s feces. This disease can cause high fever, chills, and weakness. Symptoms of this disease are similar to those of the flu, but they are not life-threatening.
The two most common species of fleas are the cat flea and the dog flea. Both species have the potential to transmit several zoonotic diseases. Some of these diseases are rickettsial diseases, tapeworms, and Bartonella spp. infections. The most dangerous fleas are the oriental rat flea, which is found in the south-west of the US and in South America. Infected animals with severe infestations may develop anaemia.
