What do fleas attack? - briefly
Fleas are ectoparasites that bite and consume the blood of mammals and birds, with dogs, cats, rodents, and humans being the most frequent hosts. Their feeding can cause irritation, allergic reactions, and transmit diseases.
What do fleas attack? - in detail
Fleas are hematophagous ectoparasites that feed on the blood of a wide range of vertebrate hosts. Their primary targets include:
- Mammals: dogs, cats, rodents, livestock (cattle, sheep, goats), and humans.
- Birds: certain species such as chicken and wild birds, though avian infestations are less common.
- Occasionally reptiles and amphibians, when flea species have adapted to these hosts.
Feeding occurs on exposed skin, hair, or feathered areas where the insect can pierce the epidermis with its specialized mouthparts. Bites often appear on the lower limbs of humans, the abdomen and tail region of cats and dogs, and the neck or back of rodents.
Beyond direct irritation, fleas serve as vectors for several pathogens:
- Yersinia pestis – the bacterium that causes plague, transmitted primarily by the Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).
- Rickettsia felis – responsible for flea‑borne spotted fever.
- Bartonella henselae – agent of cat‑scratch disease, transmitted by the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis).
- Tapeworms such as Dipylidium caninum, whose cysticercoid stage develops within the flea and is ingested by the definitive host during grooming.
The life cycle, consisting of egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages, occurs in the host’s environment (bedding, carpets, soil). Adult fleas remain on the host for feeding and reproduction, while immature stages develop off‑host, feeding on organic debris and adult flea feces. This dual habitat allows rapid population growth under favorable conditions of warmth and humidity.
Control measures focus on interrupting the host‑parasite relationship: topical or oral insecticides for animals, environmental treatments (insect growth regulators, vacuuming, washing bedding), and personal protection for humans (insect repellents, regular inspection of clothing and skin). Effective management reduces both direct bite effects and the risk of disease transmission.