There are few things more unsettling than seeing a cockroach crawl across the floor of your home. But cockroaches aren’t just an unsightly nuisance, as they can carry serious diseases that impact humans in negative ways too. Here is some information about the diseases carried by cockroaches and how you can keep your family safe from these household pests.
Diseases Cockroaches Carry
Cockroaches are sometimes associated with dirty places, and from the deep dark corners of a home can emerge health risks to humans and pets. Cockroaches can carry various forms of bacteria, such as E. coli, salmonella, streptococcus, and Staphylococcus. Through the transmission of these diseases, humans can find themselves experiencing the symptoms of food poisoning or gastroenteritis, such as stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Research has also shown that cockroaches can carry organisms that cause many different infections that make people sick, such as plague, giardia, dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever.
How Cockroaches Infect Humans
Unlike mosquitos, which are pests that actually bite humans, cockroaches transmit diseases to humans indirectly by contaminating surfaces and food sources. Cockroaches will eat pretty much anything and everything, even fecal matter. After feasting, cockroaches pass bacteria collected in their bodies on through their droppings, which can be left in food pantries and other kitchen storage areas.
Allergic Implications of Cockroaches
Not only can cockroaches transmit bacteria indirectly to humans, but they can also be triggers for symptoms of allergies and asthma. Cockroaches leave behind parts of their bodies, saliva, and feces wherever they go, which are known triggers for human symptoms. These allergens affect the human body in a similar way to dust mites and can make a home very unhospitable for allergy sufferers. Symptoms of allergies or asthma caused by a cockroach infestation include a runny nose, difficulty breathing, and watery eyes while in the home. Children are especially susceptible to these symptoms if there are cockroaches in a house.
Cockroach Control in New Jersey
At Precise Pest control, we take cockroaches very seriously and know what it takes to rid your home of cockroaches so that they never come back. Cockroaches are very persistent and resilient (they’ve been known to live for several months without any food or water!), but fortunately we have over 25 years of experience with roaches in New Jersey. You can also help prevent a cockroach infestation by keeping your kitchen free of crumbs and clutter, sealing up gaps in floors and walls, and storing leftover food in airtight containers.
Please call us to discuss your roach problem, for a free extermination estimate, and to learn about the various roach control options available, including organic pest control for households with kids and pets.