Have you ever suffered from health issues, but you couldn’t figure out why?
Maybe you have asthma, constant allergies or an infection that won’t go away.
Believe it or not, pests could be behind your ongoing health issues. Today, we’re going to talk about different common pests and how they can affect the health of you and your loved ones.
Asthma and Allergies
Here are some of the most common pests that can cause allergic reactions:
- Bedbugs
- Certain flies
- Cockroaches
- Dust mites
- Fleas
- Kissing bugs
- Mosquitoes
… And here are some of the symptoms for you to look out for when it comes to pest-related allergies:
- A runny or stuffy nose
- Congestion
- Cough
- Slight body aches or a mild headache
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
What other creepy crawlies could be causing you to suffer from asthma and allergy symptoms?
Let’s explore below…
Cockroaches
Cockroaches in particular tend to exacerbate asthma and allergy symptoms. They also carry salmonella Typhimurium, entamoeba Histolytica and the Poliomyelitis virus.
Dust Mites
Allergic reactions to dust mites include:
- Allergic asthma
- Conjunctivitis
- Eczema
- Rhinitis (hay fever)
They can even leave you with symptoms of glue ear, a condition where the normally empty middle part of the ear canal fills with fluid.
Mosquitoes
In addition to causing allergies, mosquitoes carry a variety of other diseases.
These include:
- Chikungunya virus
- Dengue virus
- Eastern equine encephalitis virus
- Japanese encephalitis virus
- La Crosse encephalitis
- Malaria
- St. Louis encephalitis
- West Nile virus
- Yellow fever
- Zika virus
Microbial Diseases and Infections
Microbial diseases and infections are illnesses caused by bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. Yes– even microbial organisms are considered pests.
Common microbial diseases include:
- Chickenpox
- Common cold
- COVID-19
- Diphtheria
- E. coli
- Giardiasis
- HIV/AIDS
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Influenza (flu)
We can’t cure you of microbial diseases and infections–please, see your doctor for that.
But Abarb Pest Services can help with infestations from other pests, including bed bugs, cockroaches, rodents and other animals.
Vector-Borne Diseases
Vectors are living organisms such as bacteria, parasites and viruses that can spread infections between humans or between humans and animals.
Vector-borne diseases include Lyme disease, rabies and the Zika virus.
Disease vectors include:
- Aquatic snails
- Fleas
- Flies
- Lice
- Mosquitoes
- Rodents
- Ticks
- And other animals
Fleas
Fleas may carry the bubonic plague and murine typhus. In addition, fleas can spread dog and rodent tapeworms that occasionally infest people. They also may act as hosts of filarial worms (heartworms) in dogs.
Rodents
Rodent vector-borne diseases include leptospirosis, murine typhus, plague and rickettsialpox. Rat bite fever is another disease caused by rodents that can cause severe illness or death if not treated.
Ticks
Ticks are notorious for spreading diseases like:
- Anaplasmosis
- Babesiosis
- Borrelia mayonii
- Borrelia miyamotoi
- Ehrlichiosis
- Powassan virus
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Tularemia
Lyme disease, one of the most commonly known diseases associated with ticks, causes the following symptoms:
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Joint and muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Erythema migrans (a rash that occurs in 70 to 80 percent of cases and is known for its characteristic bullseye or target appearance.)
Left untreated, Lyme disease may also cause arthritis, dizziness, facial palsy and heart palpitations, among other symptoms.
If you suspect you’re dealing with an infestation, contact Abarb Pest Services today.
