Fleas are very unpleasant insects not only for pets; in fact, they can also sting humans, causing intense itching and, in some particularly sensitive individuals, even allergic dermatitis . The three species of fleas with which the man most frequently comes into contact are Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea), Ctenocephalides canis (dog flea) and Pulex irritans (human flea).
The flea bite on humans is characterized by a tiny dark spot, surrounded by a reddened area. The swelling is less pronounced compared to other insect bites and the redness disappears when pressure is applied at the lesion. In many cases, a single flea bites two or three times in the same area in search of blood: small erythematous papules can be observed, arranged in a linear manner, as a trace of the path traveled by the flea on the skin. The most commonly affected sites are the ankles and legs.
In addition to causing these annoying symptoms, fleas can be carriers of dangerous diseases, such as murine typhus, tularemia and bubonic plague . They are also responsible for the transmission of the tapeworm ( Dipylidium caninum ) and of the bacterium that causes cat scratch disease ( Bartonella henselae ).
