Facts About Cockroach Diseases You Should Know

It’s safe to say that cockroaches can take a toll on businesses. Their activities can have a negative impact on both staff health and retention. Plus, it would affect your business’ reputation if a few of your customers get sick after eating or staying in your hotel or restaurant. It could lead to the breach in In food safety laws, product recall, closures, bankruptcy, and financial loss.

Diseases From Cockroaches

Indeed, cockroaches spread a range of diseases. However, they are not direct vectors of diseases like mosquitoes. Their process of transmitting illnesses is through mechanical transfer and the cockroaches act as the reservoirs. Transmission of cockroach diseases occurs indirectly. Instead of transmission through bites, a human being can get sick from cockroaches through ingesting the bacteria and parasites they left on food, surfaces, and belongings.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that these cockroaches are not an important cause of diseases. Just like flies and rats, they only play a supplementary role in the spread of some diseases. These creatures are proven or suspected by experts as carriers of the organisms that cause infections such as Salmonellosis, Typhoid Fever, Cholera, Gastroenteritis, Dysentery, Leprosy, the Bubonic Plague, and many more.

According to experts, cockroaches can also induce asthma and other allergies in human beings. Plus, they can also spread E.coli, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus.

Salmonellosis

Thinking about salmonellosis, we often associate this with rat or mice infestations. Little do we know that cockroaches can spread this illness as well. Salmonellosis is similar to food poisoning which can be acquired through eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water.

It has been studied by experts that cockroaches accumulate the bacteria by feeding on contaminated food. In turn, the salmonella remains in their digestive system for at least a month and is deposited in their droppings. 

The symptoms of salmonellosis typically show 12 to 72 hours after the infection. The symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Usually, victims of salmonella bacteria do not need confinement. They only need self-rehydration, rest, and some anti-diarrheal medications. However, there are instances when salmonellosis causes extreme dehydration. And the symptoms can be more severe to other people, especially among children and the elderly. For this reason, they need to be admitted to the hospital for treatments until they recover. The recovery phase of salmonellosis usually occurs after four to seven days.

Typhoid Fever

Typhoid fever is one of the most common bacterial infection caused by the salmonella typhi bacterium. This is a highly infectious disease, especially in overly populated areas. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that typhoid fever is very common in developing countries where people have poor sanitation and limited access to clean water.

Typhoid causes an estimated number of 5,700 cases each year in the United States. According to studies, children and the elderly are greatly at risk of this disease. For this reason, family members and caretakers must ensure the sanity of their surroundings and their food.

The symptoms of this illness include the following: fever, headache, muscle pain, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, and stomach pain. However, the symptoms are not limited to the aforementioned indications. Due to individual differences, the signs could be different from one person to another.

For fast recovery, you should seek medical attention if you experience any of the symptoms for typhoid fever. These signs are easily mistaken as the common flu. But without proper treatment, serious complications could develop.

Cholera

This disease is a diarrheal infection caused by the Vibrio cholera bacterium. According to statistics, cholera is common in developing countries that have inadequate environmental management. The infection of this disease occurs through ingestion of food and drink contaminated with the bacterium.

If a human being is exposed to the bacterium, cockroaches can spread the organism through their feces and vomit, contaminating every food and surface they can reach.

According to the studies from the World Health Organization, they recorded an estimated number of roughly 1.4 million to 4.3 million cases of cholera per year. This results in 28,000 to 142,000 deaths worldwide.

Did you know that approximately 80% of people infected with cholera bacteria do not develop any symptoms? Although the bacterium is present in their feces for 1-10 days after infection, the illness could remain asymptomatic for a long period of time. Among the 20 percent who do develop symptoms, 80% of whom develop mild to moderate symptoms. Around 20% develop acute watery diarrhea resulting in severe dehydration. Most cases of this 20 % need medical attention especially among children and the elderly who have weaker immune systems. The treatments for cholera are almost the same for salmonellosis in which rehydration is a must.

Dysentery

Dysentery is one of the most common illnesses brought by cockroaches to human beings. It is a type of gastroenteritis that results in diarrhea with blood in the stool. In most cases, people suffer mild symptoms and recover within a week even without medical attention. However, there are instances when the symptoms could be more severe to some that they would need medical help.

The disease usually spreads through areas and countries with poor practices of hand hygiene. It is also common in areas with poor waste disposal and water irrigations. People who are prone to consuming food and drink contaminated with organisms are greatly affected. The symptoms of dysentery are not limited to diarrhea containing blood and mucus on the stool, painful stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and a high fever.

According to experts, there are two types of dysentery:

Bacillary Dysentery:

This illness is sometimes referred to as shigellosis because it is caused by the shigella bacteria.

Amoebic Dysentery:

This is caused by a single-celled parasite called entamoeba which is usually found in tropical areas.

Leprosy

Cockroaches and rats are commonly associated with the transmission of Leprosy to human beings. These insects along with mice and many more are suspected to be carriers of the bacillus mycobacterium leprae which causes the disease.

Cockroaches are known to spread leprosy through their feces. Although the bacteria are not highly infectious to human beings, if it is untreated or ignored, it can cause permanent damage to the skin, eyes, nerves, and skin which can lead to deformities. For this reason, leprosy is greatly feared by many people especially in suburban areas and people living in overly populated countries. 

Bubonic Plague

The Bubonic plague is well-known for taking the lives of millions of people in the 14th century. Although the disease is often thought to be a rodent-borne disease, cockroaches, too, are suspected to be carriers of the yersinia pestis bacterium.

The common symptoms of the Bubonic Plague include the following: swollen lymph nodes, cramps, and high fever. The people who get infected by the bubonic plague bacterium need to receive urgent medical care. They should be given antibiotics within 4 hours after infection or else the person would suffer severe complications. If you experience some of these symptoms, it's best to consult a professional before it's too late.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is one of the most serious infections caused by the listeria monocytogenes bacterium. The disease is usually transmitted to human beings by consuming contaminated food and drink. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that Listeriosis is an important public health issue in the United States. For this reason, awareness and understanding must be facilitated to know how to prevent this illness.

This disease usually targets people with weakened immune systems such as newborns, and the elderly. Experts say that this can also affect pregnant women. There are also rare cases in which people with a strong immune system can be affected as well.

The symptoms of the illness include fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea. However, if the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms can include confusion and headaches, loss of balance, and convulsions. If pregnant women get infected by Listeriosis, it could affect the fetus and may lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, or premature delivery.

The Need To Call For Professional Help 

In North Carolina, cockroach diseases are prevalent. People with weak immune systems such as children and the elderly are greatly at risk. To prevent cockroach infestations, call for your local pest management service provider near Huntersville.

Lake Norman Pest Control offers the best pest management services in North Carolina. Equipped with the latest ways of pest control, this company ensures elimination and prevention of pests in your surroundings. The best part is, the company uses human-friendly and environmental-friendly means of extermination.

Even when you’re on a tight diet, Lake Norman Pest Control is at your service. Call now and avail their affordable service plans.