A Look at the Health Dangers of a Cockroach Infestation

If you have a cockroach infestation near Pleasanton , you should seek residential pest control services as soon as possible. Getting rid of cockroaches on your own is extremely difficult, and the longer they are in your home, the higher your risk of suffering from health complications. Here is a look at some of the health dangers that a cockroach infestation presents.

Cockroach-Infestation

They Spread Diseases and Bacteria

Cockroaches carry and spread various diseases, pathogens, bacteria, and germs. When they travel throughout your home, they leave a path of urine, feces, and regurgitated saliva and digestive fluids that contain harmful agents that can be transmitted to humans. These agents can cause E. coli, salmonella, typhoid, urinary tract infections, digestive problems, and sepsis. If anyone in your household is very young, very old, or already has a compromised immune system or serious illness, these diseases can be life threatening.

They Contaminate Food and Household Surfaces

When cockroaches are eating, they will defecate on their food source and any other household surface that they come across. Their feces contain bacteria, dead skin, and empty egg shells. Almost anything is a food source to a cockroach, including human food, plants, soap, glue, paper, and leather. This means that almost anything in your house may be contaminated due to a cockroach infestation. If a cockroach contaminates food that you later eat, you can suffer from severe food poisoning.

They Aggravate Respiratory Problems

Cockroaches can both cause and aggravate respiratory problems. The saliva that cockroaches continually secrete contains hundreds of allergens that can cause rashes, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes. Cockroach infestations can also aggravate existing allergy symptoms. If you or anyone else in your household suffers from asthma, a cockroach infestation can be especially dangerous. You are at a higher risk of an asthma attack due to contamination, and cockroach allergens can cause severe complications with asthma. People can also become asthmatic by inhaling cockroach allergens.