Do Cockroaches Carry Disease?

Cockroaches are disgusting pests that can cause serious problems for you and your family. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point out that cockroaches have been found to carry Salmonella typhimurium, Entamoeba histolytica which can lead to a disease called Amebiasis, and the poliomyelitis virus. The reality of how cockroaches encounter these diseases and spread them to your family should prompt you to take quick action if you ever discover signs of cockroaches in your home. 

How cockroaches pick-up disease-causing bacteria

The ways that cockroaches encounter disease-causing bacteria can be pretty disgusting. Roaches prefer to spend their time in damp, dark places. This means that they are commonly found crawling around in sewer pipes, garbage, and moldy areas. The legs of cockroaches easily pick up bacteria as they crawl through the various disgusting places that they inhabit. That bacteria can travel with the roaches as they move from one place to another.  

How cockroaches spread disease

Cockroaches can spread the bacteria they pick up with their legs onto surfaces in your house. Then, when you touch those surfaces you potentially become exposed to disease. Roaches can also spread disease by getting into your food supply. They are always on the hunt for food and often find their way into pantries and other food storage areas. If any of your food is not stored properly, roaches can get into it and contaminate it with their excrement and the bacteria they are carrying. Cockroaches can also cause problems for people with asthma and allergies. Roach carcasses and droppings can impact the air quality in your home and cause reactions in people who are already at risk. 

Ways to deal with cockroaches

Roaches prefer to stay out of sight and are most active at night. These facts make it easy to have a cockroach infestation without realizing it. The first step in dealing with cockroaches is to learn how to identify the signs of their presence. Seeing a cockroach is the clearest sign you will get of an infestation. You can also keep an eye out for roach carcasses and droppings. Droppings can look like dark brown specs or cylindrical pellets. If you suspect a roach infestation for any reason, you need to bring in a pest control professional for help. Roaches can be a challenge to eradicate because they prefer to stay in places that are out of the way. A pest control expert will know where to look for evidence of roach activity and the right type of treatment to apply.     

Cockroaches do carry disease and have the ability to spread that disease to humans. Roaches are known to spend time in some really gross places and can bring the remnants of that activity into your home. If you want to avoid any possibility of having your surfaces or food supply contaminated by roaches then you need to take effective action against them.

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