How Fleas Can Transfer Diseases to Humans
WouterThere are several health risks associated with flea bites. Many fleas can carry diseases that humans can contract, including tularemia, a bacterium that can lead to serious infections. Though the incidence of flea-borne disease is relatively small in the U.S., rising temperatures and increased international travel have increased the risk. The most famous flea-transmitted disease is the bubonic plague, also known as the “Black Death.” This disease was responsible for the death of 25 million people in Europe during the fourteenth century. It continues to be a problem around the world today, largely because fleas feed on rodents and transmit the disease to humans.
Fleas can infest both humans and pets. Infestations are most common among households with pets that spend most of their time outside. Fortunately, prevention is possible, but eradication is nearly impossible without an insecticide treatment. There are many methods of killing fleas, including using natural flea deterrents, which can help prevent fleas from sticking around your home.
Fleas rarely remain on a human’s body for long periods of time. However, they can lay eggs on humans, birds, and animals. One flea can cause an infestation to spread from animal to human, and fleas can also hitch a ride in clothes and hair. You can also bring infested pets’ bedding to your home.
