The Deadly Diseases Carried By Cockroaches

12 Apr The Deadly Diseases Carried By Cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the most disgusted and hated pests in the world. They lurk in filthiest areas and decide to appear, show their wings and make you cringe when you are least prepared. But not only that, they also pose threats to health. As a matter of fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified cockroaches as one of the most common causes of a disease and they make it worse by playing an extra role of spreading these diseases. Read more to educate yourself and how you can best manage a cockroach control in your homes.

Below are the alarming and/or deadly diseases they carry that you should know:

• Asthma – Cockroaches are bearers of certain proteins which can trigger asthma in some people that are reactive to these. These tiny particles or allergens that their bodies have can spread through the air. Once a person inhales this contaminated air, it can trigger an asthmatic attack in no time.
• Campylobacteriosis – Roaches are carriers of a lot of microbes and one of these is the bacterium called Campylobacter that can cause food borne bacterial infection in humans. The infection can be acquired once a person eats food or drinks any beverage that has been contaminated by a roach carrying the microbe. Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include abdominal pain, bloody stool, cramps, and fever.
• Cholera – Roaches spread another bacterium called vibrio which causes Cholera, an acute diarrheal infection that is highly contagious. Such a disease is spread once a contaminated food or beverage is consumed by a person. In addition to that, a vibrio carrying roach can also spread the disease by contaminating any areas with their feces and vomit. Without immediate detection and treatment, Cholera can be very fatal.
• Cockroach allergy – Cockroach allergy should be taken seriously as it can trigger an asthmatic attack in the long run. The first case of this was reported way back in 1953 when a patient developed a rash after a roach crawled on his skin. It was found out that the roach’s saliva, feces, and shed skin have stirred up the allergy.
• Dysentery – There are two forms of dysentery, caused by pathogens carried by roaches, and these can be acquired through contaminated food and drinks. The first form, also known as Shigellosis, is caused by the Shigella bacterium while the second one is caused by a single celled parasite called Entamoeba. Symptoms of both forms of dysentery include diarrhea with mucus and blood, vomiting, nausea, high fever, and stomach cramps.
• E-coli Infections – Roaches are, by far, the greatest magnet to all forms of bad bacteria and e. coli is one of these bacteria they harbor. They spread e. coli infections still by contaminating food and drinks through mechanical transfer on their feed and exoskeleton. People infected with e. coli will experience cramping in the abdomen, fever and chills accompanied by muscle aches, nausea, and watery stool.
• Leprosy – Another bacterium roaches carry is the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae which is the main cause of leprosy. This disease is acquired once a person consumes a contaminated food or once he touches a surface or comes in contact with a thing that has a roach’s feces and happens to ingest the bacterium. Once ingested, the incubation period is from five to twenty years and if not treated, it can permanently damage the skin, eyes, and nerves and in the long run, the infected person will have a high chance of having disfigurement and deformities.
• Listeriosis – Another bacterium which roaches love to carry is Listeria monocytogenes which is behind Listeriosis. Still this can be acquired once a person ingests a contaminated food or drink. It is easily acquired by those who have weakened immune systems like the elderly, pregnant women, and infants. Symptoms include diarrhea, muscle aches, and fever. In severe cases, though, an infected person may also experience stiff neck, loss of balance, headache, convulsion, and confusion. In pregnant women, the infection can lead to miscarriage, premature delivery, or still birth.
• Plague – Roaches also carry and spread Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that can cause the bubonic plague. A person infected by this may experience swelling and pain in the lymph nodes accompanied with high fever, muscle cramps, and chills. If left untreated or if treated late, plague can be fatal and deadly.
• Salmonellosis – Salmonellosis bacterium also has roaches as one of its carriers. Once a person catches salmonella bacteria, he may experience symptoms similar with food poisoning. Symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and fever may start showing 12 to 72 hours from the time the infected person ingests the salmonella contaminated food.
• Typhoid Fever – Roaches also harbor the bacterium Salmonella typhi that primarily causes typhoid fever which is highly infectious. Once infected, symptoms like high fever, muscle aches, headaches, diarrhea or constipation, lack of energy, and stomach pain may start surfacing.

Aside from the diseases mentioned above, roaches still carry other deadly infections from other microbes and bacteria they harbor. These infections include UTI, wound infections, meningitis and respiratory infections.

So for prevention, it is best to seek some help from the experts when it comes to cockroaches control.