Can Fleas Live on Humans?

It's not common, but they can feed on us

Itching and scratching
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If you've ever had flea bites, then you've probably wondered whether fleas can live on people. The good news is that, with very few exceptions, fleas don't live on people's bodies. The bad news is that fleas can and will inhabit human dwellings, even in the absence of pets.

Kinds of Fleas and Preferred Hosts

There are many kinds of fleas, and each species has a preferred host:

Human fleas (Pulex irritans) prefer to feed on humans or pigs, but these parasites are uncommon in homes in developed countries and are more often associated with wildlife. Farms sometimes become infested with human fleas, particularly in pigpens.

Rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis and Nosopsyllus fasciatus) are parasites of Norway rats and roof rats. They generally don't infest human dwellings unless rats are present. Rat fleas are medically important ectoparasites, however, because they transmit disease-causing organisms to humans. The Oriental rat flea is the main carrier of the organism that causes plague.

Hen fleas (Echidnophaga gallinacea) are parasites of poultry. These fleas, also known as sticktight fleas, attach to their hosts. When chickens are infested, fleas can accumulate visibly around their eyes, comb, and wattle. Although hen fleas prefer to feed on birds, they will feed on people who live in proximity to or care for infested poultry.

Chigoe fleas (Tunga penetrans and Tunga trimamillata) are an exception to the rule. These fleas not only live on people, but they also burrow into human skin. Worse still, they burrow into human feet, where they cause itching, swelling, skin ulcers, and loss of toenails, and they can impede walking. Chigoe fleas inhabit the tropics and subtropics and are mainly a concern in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa.

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are almost always the fleas that invade our homes and feed on our pets. Despite their name, cat fleas are just as likely to feed on Fido as they are on Miss Kitty. Though they don't usually live on nonfurry hosts such as humans, they can and do bite people.

Less often, dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis) infest homes. Dog fleas aren't picky parasites, either, and will gladly draw blood from your cat.

Cat and Dog Fleas Prefer Furry Hosts

Cat and dog fleas are built for hiding in fur. Their laterally flattened bodies help them navigate between pieces of fur or hair. Backward-facing spines on their bodies help them cling to Fido's fur when he's on the move. Our relatively hairless bodies don't make great hiding places for fleas, and it's much harder for them to hang onto our bare skin.

Still, people living with pets often find themselves faced with a flea infestation. As they multiply, these bloodthirsty fleas are competing for your pet and may bite you instead. Flea bites typically occur on the ankles and lower legs. And flea bites itch, especially if you're allergic to them.

Can You Get Fleas Without Pets?

Although fleas rarely take up residence on human skin, they can and will live happily in a human home with no pets present. If fleas find their way into your house and don't find a dog, cat, or bunny on which to feed, they will consider you the next best thing.

Additional Sources

View Article Sources
  1. Miarinjara, Adélaïde et al. “Xenopsylla brasiliensis Fleas in Plague Focus Areas, Madagascar.” Emerging infectious diseases vol. 22, Dec. 2016, doi:10.3201/eid2212.160318

  2. Miller, Hollman et al. “Very severe tungiasis in Amerindians in the Amazon lowland of Colombia: A case series.” PLoS neglected tropical diseases vol. 13,2 e0007068. 7 Feb. 2019, doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007068

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Hadley, Debbie. "Can Fleas Live on Humans?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/can-fleas-live-on-people-1968296. Hadley, Debbie. (2023, April 5). Can Fleas Live on Humans? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/can-fleas-live-on-people-1968296 Hadley, Debbie. "Can Fleas Live on Humans?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/can-fleas-live-on-people-1968296 (accessed March 19, 2024).