Fleas are wingless parasitic insects that feed on birds and mammals, including humans. Due to long limbs, fleas are adept at hopping long distances and are often confused with insects that fly. Fleas can bite dogs, cats, rabbits, and rats as well as humans. Flea bites on humans can cause severe irritation, skin allergy, and even stomach flu, anemia or tapeworms, in the worst cases.
Fleas use their jaws to bite through the skin of their host. In humans, exposed parts of the body, such as the arms or legs, are most likely to be bitten by fleas. Fleas lay eggs in large numbers, and this is how they multiply and spread infections.
The types of fleas that can bite humans are dog fleas, cat fleas, and human fleas. Often confused with a mosquito bite or other small irritant, a flea bite should not really be taken so casually. Excessive itching that leads to scratching should be shown to a doctor immediately. Very often, excessive scratching can result in an infection.
If a person gets infected with fleas, he or she may experience severe itching. Fleas do not take long to become settled on human flesh or hair and start causing soreness and severe itching. Though anti-itch creams are recommended treatment, flea bites on humans should be treated with utmost care and caution.
Flea bites on humans must be washed immediately upon detection. If you have an antiseptic soap at home, use that to wash off the bites. In order to avoid or reduce the swelling, use an ice pack on the flea bites. This will also help lessen the itching and provide some relief. Make sure that you have some antiseptic cream always handy at home. Apply this or calamine lotion to the infected or bitten area. These remedies should stop the itching and give some relief from the flea bites.
However, if the itching continues and the itching begins to cause an infection, you should consult a doctor immediately. You may be advised a course of antibiotics to solve the problem.
The next step would be to treat the house, to ensure the fleas do not remain in any part or infect any other person or pet. A good insecticide should be sprayed all over the floors and walls. While doing so, one must ensure that there is no food lying exposed anywhere in the house and that the pets are not exposed to the spray. If your pet dog sniffs or licks the insecticide, it could lead to further trouble, as the pet may start vomiting and showing other signs of sickness. Therefore, the insecticide must be sprayed with great care. If spraying insecticide does not resolve your problem, you might need to call professional exterminators to do the job.