4 Pest-Related Disease Risks Worth Avoiding

Most homeowners would agree that pests pose lots of problems, from their tendency to get into foodstuffs to the sheer unpleasantness of seeing them flying or crawling around the house. However, homeowners seeking reasons to invest in pest control should add the risk of disease transmission to the top of the list.

Many common pests can carry serious diseases, which they then spread to humans (and sometimes pets as well). If you want to protect yourself and your family, you need to educate yourself on these risks so you can plan the appropriate pest control response. Pay particular attention to the following four pest-related disease risks.

1. Intestinal Diseases

If you've ever had a bad case of food poisoning, you know just how horrible intestinal diseases can feel. Many strains of hostile bacteria can infect the human digestive system, disrupting normal function and producing such unpleasant symptoms as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.

Cockroaches pick up E. coli, streptococcus, salmonella, and staphylococcus bacteria as they roam through plumbing pipes, garbage dumps, and other unsanitary environments. They may then track this bacteria onto food or food preparation surfaces.

Even after your pest control team has eliminated an active cockroach infestation, you should take steps to minimize the risk of future disease transmission from these creatures. Always wash raw vegetables and fruits before preparing or eating them, seal foodstuffs away in pest-proof containers, and clean your counters and tables regularly.

2. Lyme Disease

If your property hosts its share of ticks, or if you go on trips through wooded areas known to harbor ticks, you need to protect both your pets and your human family members against these parasites. When ticks bite through the skin to suck the blood of host animals, they can transmit serious illnesses, including Lyme disease.

Indiana cases of Lyme disease commonly stem from the bite of the black-legged tick. Although the immature form of these ticks must remain attached for up to 48 hours before they actually transmit the disease, their tiny size compared to their adult counterparts could cause them to go unnoticed for at least that long.

Lyme disease typically produces a bullseye-shaped ring around a reddened central spot. Other symptoms include fatigue, chills, headache, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and pain in the muscles and joints. Treatment for Lyme disease can range from oral antibiotics to intravenous medical care.

Ongoing pest prevention drugs can keep your pets from tracking ticks into your home. Ask your pest control experts to recommend body sprays and other protective strategies for when you go outdoors. If you have a severe tick problem in your yard, professional treatment with insecticides can eliminate it.

3. Bubonic Plague

Pets can carry fleas as well as ticks into your home. These tiny parasites pack a big punch in the form of an infamous disease called bubonic plague. Bubonic plague produces swollen lymph nodes in the groin, neck, and armpits, along with exhaustion, headache, fever, and chills.

Fleas have the ability to jump from one host to another, transmitting this disease as they bite the skin in search of blood. However, you can also get the disease if you handle dead vermin infected by it. Always have pest control professionals take care of this potentially hazardous business for you.

4. Encephalitis

The humble mosquito can transmit many diseases, most of which create mild symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, or fever. However, a mosquito bite can sometimes cause a brain inflammation called encephalitis. This serious condition calls for prompt medical treatment.

Personal insect repellents can protect your body from mosquitos for a limited time, but you may need to call in a pest control team to kill off a large-scale infestation. To prevent recurrences, remove any outdoor moisture sources such as birdbaths, puddles of standing water, and piles of damp leaves.

To keep your home as disease free as possible, get your pest problems under control with the aid of American Pest Professionals. Our experts can inspect your residence for worrying pests and eliminate those potential disease carriers so you and your loved ones can enjoy a healthier life. Contact us today.