Some pests also carry harmful viruses and bacteria that can pose significant risks to your health and that of your loved ones, including pets. If any of these pests are in your home, it’s important to take steps to get rid of them immediately.
1. Cockroaches
Cockroaches are not only gross, they can also pose a serious health problem. When they shed their skin, or leave behind urine and droppings, these things become airborne allergens. If you have asthma, you can develop asthma attacks when you have cockroaches in your home. What makes matters worse is that these pests multiply at lightning speed and pretty soon, they’ll be present all over your home.
Cockroaches live in sewer pipes, vents, drains and streets before entering your home, so aside from causing allergies and asthma attacks, they also harbor germs and bacteria. Aside from taking steps to get rid of them, you should also make sure to thoroughly clean your home’s surfaces regularly such as kitchen counters, cabinets and floors.
2. Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes have long been known for carrying and transmitting dangerous viruses such as Dengue, West Nile, Zika and Encephalitis. Always make it a priority to mosquito-proof your home to prevent your family from getting sick. Get rid of any standing water around your home and property, and keep your doors and windows closed if you live in an area that has lots of mosquitoes.
3. Mice
Mice may seem innocent and harmless, but they can really do a lot of damage to your health. They urinate frequently as they scour your home to find food which means that you and your loved ones can be exposed to any disease they carry. Be sure to set mouse traps if you see a these rodents in your home. To prevent them from getting inside, you should seal all cracks and openings, and store food properly.
4. Rats
Bigger and definitely more aggressive than mice, rats not only leave harmful bacteria and viruses when they are inside your home, but they could also bite and scratch you. Like mice, rats also scavenge houses for food and their urine and feces could make you sick. We recommend calling a professional like Terminix, if you see rats in your home as they are difficult to trap and are also quite aggressive.
5. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs don’t transmit diseases to humans but their bites can trigger allergic reaction in the form of skin rashes. Moreover, having bed bugs can make it difficult for you to sleep and this can lead to insomnia, stress and even depression.
6. Fleas
Fleas transmitted the bubonic plague, which killed millions in Europe during the Middle Ages. Today, they may no longer be as deadly but they still harbor dangerous pathogens which are especially harmful to pets. Flea bites are also known to cause allergies in addition to being itchy.
7. Ticks
Ticks are arachnids that carry Lyme disease and Powassan virus. You need to be know which ticks inhabit your geographic region and the diseases they are known to transmit. For example, only the Western black-legged and black-legged tick varieties are known to carry and transmit Lyme disease. The Lone Star tick triggers alpha-gal allergy, which is an allergy to a carbohydrate called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, found in pigs, cows, and sheep.
8. Bats
Bats don’t really like human interactions but if you’re exposed to one, they could bite if you. Brown bats in particular can puncture your skin and there’s a bit of chance they have rabies. Moreover, bat droppings, also known as guano, can cause histoplasmosis which is a lung infection. Fungus spores also grow on the guano and they can cause flu-like symptoms when inhaled.
If you have pests in your home, make it a priority to get rid of them as soon as possible before they cause health problems to you and your family.