The health threats that household pests pose to you and your family

Updated on March 29, 2021

There are a bunch of invasive animals and insects that have made themselves a part of your household without your knowledge. These pests, at times, pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of the members of your household. These health risks are varied, with each pest posing a unique health threat of its own. That’s why it is so important to hire a professional like Norcal Wildlife Removal to take care of your pest problem before it’s too late.

The pest that causes the most risk is perhaps the bat. These creatures carry a variety of disease that they can spread to people. Other common health threats that household pests cause include, Lyme disease, dysentery, cholera, and asthma, to mention a few. To learn more about bats and other pests visit pestcontrolanimal.com

Diseases are known to be transmittable from pests to humans. A familiarization with what these diseases are, understanding the pests that are likely to transmit them, how these diseases can be transmitted from pests to humans, and the proactive ways to protect your home from these diseases are all things that you should be informed on and will be discussed below. 

Bat Diseases

The ability of bats to serve as a breeding ground for many diseases makes them a huge threat to humans. There are many bat diseases that can be life threatening. It can be argued that even with a colony nearby, the risks and probabilities of getting infected by a bat are quite low but not dismissible. But when it comes to bat diseases, it is always advisable to stay safe and reduce all likelihood that might result in contracting such diseases. Rabies and Histoplasmosis are the most common diseases transmitted from bats to humans. Rabies is mostly contracted through a bat bite. Despite the low rate of bat bites, the thought of it is scary enough to steer clear of bats. To avoid bat diseases or even bites, it is always advisable to put on protective clothes and wear hand gloves whenever you are in a place that is known to have a bat colony. This is important to be safe from being bitten by a bat.

Histoplasmosis, on the other hand, is a lung disease that is developed when there is contact with the spores or feces of infected bats or birds. It can also be contracted by inhaling the air that contains particles of the diseases. Histoplasmosis comes with symptoms like fever, chills, headaches, and dry cough. The symptoms might not appear until after two weeks or more in most cases. There is treatment for this bat disease, but it can lead to huge fatalities if left unchecked. In a nutshell, a nose mask, a pair of gloves, and other forms of protective wear would be a proactive measure to stay safe from these bat diseases. 

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a very common disease amongst known pest diseases. It is a bacterial disease transmitted from black-legged ticks to humans. The black-legged tick is widely known to be a huge carrier of numerous diseases and transmits them to animals and humans alike. Black-legged ticks suck from the bloodstream of their host and then go on to transmit this to another host, spreading the disease in the process. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, and a sort of skin rash known as erythema migrans. These conditions, if left untreated, might lead to complications and a widespread infection that would span the joints, heart, and nervous system. Although Lyme disease can be successfully treated within a matter of weeks, the whole rigor could have been deflected with preventive measures put in place to stop the activities and breeding of these disease-causing insects. It is advisable to use insect and tick repellents as often as possible, applying pesticides on your surroundings periodically. Manual removal of ticks and their breeding spaces is also essential but is best done by trained professionals. It is noteworthy to mention that eradicating ticks and their habitat is a top priority because they not only transmit Lyme disease but also transmit other diseases. 

Dysentery

Some are oblivious to the fact there is a specific type of dysentery that is attributed to common pests that we find in our households. These types of dysentery are two, namely amoebic dysentery and bacillary dysentery. These types of dysentery are contracted through ingestion of contaminated food or water or through oral contact with objects or items that might have been contaminated. The contaminators here are cockroaches and flies. These sets of pests are known to be sneaky and to settle on food items. Their mouths and bodies are filled with contaminants that compromise the quality of any item on which they settle. These insects at times excrete on these food items. Dysentery as an illness can lead to bloody diarrhea, immense weight loss, fatigue, and abdominal pains. These predicaments can be prevented by ensuring your food items are kept in containers and storage facilities that are airtight and capable of keeping these pests out. Insect repellents can always be used to tackle these insects accordingly.

Asthma

Dust mites, cockroaches, rodents, and more are likely to cause an asthmatic reaction in humans when they are inhaled by humans, which would eventually cause a problem when they get into the respiratory system. This asthmatic reaction results in uncontrollable coughing and a shortage of breath. To protect yourself from this, wearing facemasks is recommended when going into dark dusty places that pests may frequent. Frequent dusting and removal of particles that might give rise to this must be carried out often to ensure that your household has no dust or particle microbes. 

As part of the measures to keep your household safe and free from household pest related health issues, fumigating the environment on a yearly basis ensures that there is a reduction in the amount of pests you have in your home. Maintaining good personal hygiene also reduces the chances of been infected by pests. 

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.