At the very least, pests are incredibly annoying and inconvenient. But these pests are actually posing some pretty substantial risks to your health as well as your family’s. We will be taking a closer look as to some of the top health threats that are posed by pests and why it is essential to hire a trained professional to rid your home of them to ensure the overall health and well-being of your family.
Mice & Rats
Let’s start with some of the most common examples of pests that are often found in homes: mice and rats. These little rodents are well known to transmit a number of diseases, both directly and indirectly. Directly transmitted diseases occur through scratches and bites, or even by coming in contact with their droppings and urine. Indirectly transmitted diseases occur through fleas, ticks, or mites.
Directly transmitted diseases include Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Leptospirosis, Rat-Bite Fever, and Salmonellosis. These are serious diseases that need to be treated. For example, Leptospirosis can cause fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhea, but in the most severe cases, people may experience bleeding in the lungs, kidney or liver failure, and/or meningitis. can be deadly. Rodents also carry salmonella and other forms of bacteria on their bodies which can contaminate your entire home.
Diseases indirectly transmitted through fleas, ticks, and mites include: the Plague, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Relapsing Fever, and Colorado Tick Fever. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, for one, can prove to be deadly if it’s not treated by the right antibiotics.
Small Insects
Even small insects can cause a number of pretty substantial health issues. For instance, mosquitoes can transmit both the Zika virus and malaria. Cockroaches can transmit diseases like dysentery and Typhoid, but can also carry bacteria such as salmonella and E coli on their body, which can contaminate cooking equipment, surfaces, and food. Flea infestations can cause tapeworms in humans and even Cat Scratch Fever. And those are just a few of the top health issues related to some of the most common pest infestations
Outside Pests
Many people tend to overlook common infestations that occur outside of the home, but these kinds of pests can be just as harmful to humans. Flying insects like yellowjackets, hornets, and bees can not only hurt when you get stung, but can also cause pretty severe allergic reactions as well. Outside pests may not seem like a huge deal, but if you frequent the outside of your home or have children who do, you will most certainly want to ensure that you keep potentially harmful insects at bay.
Do Not Overlook Pest Infestations
Pest infestations are most certainly not something that you should overlook or take lightly. Especially if you have a young child or elderly adult in the home as they run even higher risks of developing health related issue.
If you are questioning whether or not there may be a pest infestation in your home, or if you are sure of it beyond all reasonable doubt, just pick up the phone and call us! We will send someone over to your house for a completely free inspection. Don’t hesitate, call us today!