Are Fleas a Health Hazard? [LiveScience 2007-12-17] [Photo]
Xenopsylla cheopis (oriental rat flea), is the primary vector of
plague in most large plague epidemics in Asia, Africa, and South
America. Both male and female fleas can transmit the infection.
Shown here is a male that is engorged with blood. Credit: CDC.
Most fleas are no more than a nuisance to humans. "They
generally cause a lot of itching and scratching," says Marcia
Larkins of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for
Veterinary Medicine. "They may also cause some discomfort due to
possible allergic flea bite dermatitis." One type, the oriental
rat flea, transmits plague to humans in Asia, Africa, and South
America. Both male and female fleas can transmit the infection.
Some pets are extremely allergic to flea bites. In these pets,
fleas may cause a rash, inflammation, and hair loss. In
response, cats may compulsively overgroom, according to the FDA.
Fleas are hard to spot--look for their black, poppyseed-like
excrement. A recent study foun