Can cat fleas make humans sick?

Yes. Fleas can carry and transmit several potential illnesses of importance to humans, including typhus and plague, and can transmit “cat scratch disease” (infection with Bartonella) among cats who can then spread the disease to humans.

Can fleas affect human health?

In general, fleas do not carry diseases. Small children and people who are allergic may have a bad reaction. This can include swelling and itching. The skin may become irritated and painful around the bite, and sometimes hives and a rash will appear.

What kind of diseases can a cat give a person?

The following diseases can be transmitted to humans by cats:

  • Campylobacteriosis.
  • Cat scratch disease.
  • Cat tapeworm.
  • Cryptosporidiosis.
  • Giardiasis.
  • Hookworm.
  • Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus (MRSA)
  • Rabies.

Can humans catch diseases from cats?

The answer is yes. There are actually a number of diseases you can contract catch from your cat, known broadly as zoonotic diseases. The word “zoonotic” is used to describe any disease that is transmittable from animals to humans. The best known and most feared example of a zoonotic disease is rabies.

Can fleas give you Lyme disease?

There is no credible evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted through air, food, water, or from the bites of mosquitoes, flies, fleas, or lice.

What kind of diseases do fleas carry?

Diseases transmitted by fleas

  • Bubonic plague. The most well-known flea transmitted disease is the Bubonic plague.
  • Murine typhus. This is a rare disease in North America, but a few cases of Murine Typhus are reported each year and mostly originating in southwestern states.
  • Tungiasis.
  • Tularemia.

How many human deaths are caused by house cats?

1610 deaths were reported, or about 200 per year. That’s a reasonably big number, but when you consider size of the population in the US, it’s low.

Can you get typhus from fleas?

Flea-borne (murine) typhus, is a disease caused by a bacteria called Rickettsia typhi. Flea-borne typhus is spread to people through contact with infected fleas. Fleas become infected when they bite infected animals, such as rats, cats, or opossums.