The human flea is found all over the world. Besides man, it infests cats, dogs, and many other domestic animals, particularly the pig. It breeds in profusion in pigsties, and people working in them can readily pick up large numbers of fleas and start infestations in their homes. The human flea is usually the most important species in farm areas. While the bites of the cat flea tend to be concentrated on the lower parts of the legs, those of the human flea may be generally distributed over the body (Keh and Barnes, 1961).

But generally speaking the human flea has become a rather rare insect in domestic dwellings, but in days gone by it was a constant companion to all classes of people, whether they be the beggar in the street, or Elizabeth I, everybody had an itch to scratch. The picture below is an old woodcut of fleas and lice infesting a bed circa 16th century.

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