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Pests are bad for the home for a number of reasons, this article will highlight just some of them.
1. Disease
Firstly, pests (including cockroaches, rats, fleas) carry several diseases. These can range from Malaria and Lyme Disease to Dengue Fever and Salmonella. So, if left untreated and unregulated, pest infestations pose significant risks to your health and that of your family. The risk is made even worse if somebody in your home already struggles with their health and has a comprised immune system. So, if you suspect that your home has pests and you want to protect your health and your families, consider pest control services such as proactivepestsolutions.com.au to get rid of them.
2. Food contamination
Pests can also contaminate your food. This is dangerous because it can cause:
- Exposure to parasites – Cockroaches in particular can spread not only bacteria, but parasitic worms and when transferred onto food, can cause diseases (E.g. Escherichia coli). The bacteria can also be transferred onto food equipment, utensils and surfaces.
- Cross contamination – Cross contamination can occur, so even though pests may not directly come into contact with your food, they can spark harmful effects indirectly. For instance, if an uncontaminated piece of fruit comes in contact with a pest-contaminated one, food poisoning can still occur.
- Quick bacteria multiplication – We already know that bacteria can multiply rapidly and at an exponential rate. Pests will defecate and urinate wherever they go, for example rodents urinate as they walk around pretty much constantly, and the bacteria contained within in will spread exponentially from the original site onto once clean surfaces – potentially causing severe health problems.
- Transmission of pathogens – Pests are extremely dirty and unhygienic. Consequently, they have the ability to transmit pathogens to your food (via saliva, droppings, blood or faecal matter) which can cause food poisoning.
3. Harmful to household pets
Importantly, pests can not only negatively affect you, but also any pets you may have. Pests such as mosquitos, cockroaches, bed bugs and fleas can all harm you pet(s) in different ways.
- Cockroaches contain parasites. So, if your pet consumes a cockroach, they may develop gastrointestinal infections and stomach worms.
- Ticks often attach themselves to furry animals and once attached, feed on their blood and transfer pathogens.
- Fleas can cause open sores, ornery behaviour and itchiness for your pet. If left untreated the skin will become so bad that they will have extreme fur loss.
- Mosquitoes, similar to ticks, can transfer pathogens directly to the blood stream through consuming the blood of the host.
4. They can damage your belongings
Furthermore, pests can damage your belongings. Rodents, for example, can physically gnaw away at and chew on electronics or clothes. Other pests can leave their waste (faecal matter or urine) on some products, rendering them unusable.
5. They can cause discomfort and stress
Having to deal with and manage a pest infestation is stressful and may cause you discomfort. I am sure most of us do not enjoy the sight of them, let alone having to live with them. Just the very thought of having pests in your home can make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable. So, pest infestations can reduce your quality of living.
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