[Siphonaptera/fleas (author's transl)].

Fleas are small, reddish-brown, wingless insects with a laterally compressed body and a pronounced third pair of legs adapted to leaping. Of the 100 species found in Middle Europe, hardly a dozen are of medical importance, they concern mainly people in contact with domestic animals. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis, and the bird flea. Ceratophyllus gallinae, are the most important human-pathogenic species in our region. A flea bite shows first as a haemorrhagic punctum, accompanied by itching, and leads to an erythema with or without central wheal. After 12--24 hours a papule appears which persists up to 2 weeks. Linimentum zinci with 10% Neocid alleviates the itching and prevents further infestation. The fleas are destroyed in their hiding places and on their animal host by applying Toxical-, Neocid- or Noflo-powder. The tropical sand flea, Tunga penetrans, is a permanent ectoparasite of man. It is seen in people returning from the tropics. Fleas may, even in our region, be vectors of bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae and intestinal parasites.