Cockroaches may appear as small pests, ugly to look at but not quite harmful, but are actually a threat to health. The first reported case of Cockroach allergy can be traced back to 1943. At that time, it was found that rashes developed on the part of the skin that roaches crawled on. These are disgusting and ugly in appearance, and invade homes very easily. Cockroach experts such as EcoTek Pest Control indicate that most cockroach infestations usually start by roaches entering a home through items carried in, and once they’re within your home they can multiply rapidly if they find the conditions conducive to breeding.
What are the Health Risks of Roach Infestation?
Roaches are one of the main causes of asthma in kids. A study conducted in 2005 revealed that kids in poorer urban regions in the US were likelier to develop asthma from roach allergy as compared to allergies from exposure to dust mite excretions or cat / dog dander. Some proteins in the bodies of roaches can trigger asthma in some people. When small particles from the bodies of roaches get distributed into the surrounding air, and are inhaled, sensitive people can suffer from asthma attacks.
The following diseases can be caused due to cockroaches:
- Listeriosis
- Campylobacteriosis
- Dysentery
- Cholera
- Typhoid Fever
- Salmonellosis
The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that a minimum of 7% of the human population suffers from allergies due to exposure to cockroaches. There are many molds, types of fungus, bacteria and viruses that can be carried by roaches from one place to another. It can lead to the spread of a dysentery-causing amoeba, a polio-causing virus and a giardiasis-causing parasite.
Cockroaches can be one of the agents for the spread of Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.
How Do Roaches Infest Homes?
Roaches scurry about all corners of homes, where they are able to find warm shelter, water and food and take refuge wherever they can find. These are drawn naturally to all those spots that they find to be most comfortable. It includes places that are dark to hide in, and having food and water sources nearby – such as pantry and kitchen. But there are specific approaches to take to make homes bad for roaches to live in, and more livable for you.
These insects are synonymous with bad hygiene and filth. The nesting and feeding habits of these pests indicate that they are able to gather many pathogenic organisms, as indicated by extensive review by the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine the risks for public health from all types of pests. The transmission is indirect, and occurs from contact with consumption of items that cockroaches have contaminated.
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