Do Cockroaches Pose a Danger to South Carolina Residents?

Some bugs are easy to classify as dangerous. If we were talking about black widow spiders, we could simply say, yes, black widow spiders are dangerous and be done with the conversation. Black widows have a venom that can lead to serious symptoms. That is pretty straight forward. But the way cockroaches are dangerous isn't so direct. While roaches can bite, they only bite under certain circumstances and the wounds they inflict are not life-threatening. So we can't just say, yes, cockroaches are dangerous. But biting people isn't the only way a bug can be dangerous. Here are some of the many ways a cockroach can be a threat in your South Carolina home. You decide if they're dangerous!

Mechanical Vectors for Bacteria

Roaches crawl around on dirty things. Some of the dirty things they're known to crawl around on are dead animals, feces, compost, the walls of dumpsters, and rims of toilet bowls. After being in these dirty places, they crawl around on your countertops, your cutting board, your dishes, your food shelves and more. They're also known to perch on the bristles of toothbrushes because they eat toothpaste. This exposes you and your loved ones to invisible bacteria, which can lead to serious stomach illnesses. Cockroaches don't even need to get into your food to make you sick.

How Bad Can Bacteria Be?

Have you heard of a major food producer implementing a recall of an item due to E. coli or Salmonella? These are just two of the many bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses. How dangerous is this? The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people get sick from foodborne illnesses each year. Around 128,000 of them are hospitalized, and nearly 3,000 die.

Disease Vectors
When cockroaches get into a home, they leave their feces everywhere they roam. They also disgorge portions of partially digested food. This can contaminate surfaces and stored foods and expose you and everyone in your home to diseases such as cholera, leprosy, plague, typhoid fever and more. The National Pest Management Association makes a link between cockroaches and more than 7 human pathogens. This can certainly be considered a dangerous threat, though these diseases are rare compared to food poisoning.

Parasitic Worms
If bacteria and pathogens aren't enough, cockroaches are also connected to the spread of parasitic worms. In one notable study, 6 genera of parasites were identified on the external surface of 844 cockroaches collected. They included Ascaris, Trichuris, Capillaria, Toxocara, hookworm and Eimeria. Cockroaches can pick these worms up outside and inside your home. Since they can be picked up inside and transported to food-prep areas, sanitation is vital for safety as you are addressing a cockroach infestation.

Asthma
Studies done by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America have uncovered some important connections between cockroach infestations and asthma, some of which have serious implications. The impact of cockroaches on asthma is far-reaching with more than 25 million Americans impacted. The National Cooperative Inner-City Asthma Study (NCICAS) learned that children suffering from asthma who were shown to have exposure to cockroach allergens were more likely to have wheezing, days missed from school and more unscheduled visits to the hospital for asthma.

Are Cockroaches Dangerous?  

Yes. They can be very dangerous. But they aren't always dangerous. It depends on where they've been and what they've been exposed to. But, if someone tells you that people eat cockroaches in some countries and that they wouldn't be able to do that if cockroaches were dangerous, tell them that those are farm-raised roaches. Wild cockroaches are drawn to filth and get into some disgusting places. This behavior makes them a serious threat for bacterial exposure, pathogens, parasites and allergens.

Are you dealing with a cockroach problem in your home or business? Don't trust the health of you and your loved ones to DIY cockroach control. Have a licensed pest control professional eliminate those cockroaches and monitor for cockroach activity to make sure your roach problem is completely resolved.

If you live in our South Carolina service area, let the Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc. properly take care of those harmful pests. Our QualityPro Certified team is recognized as one of the best in the industry. Don't settle for anything less. To get started, contact us to schedule a cockroach control appointment!