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The Dangers Pennsylvania Cockroaches Bring

Advice From Moyer Indoor | Outdoor

No one appreciates coming into contact with cockroaches. Whether they are scooting across the television screen, dropping from the ceiling, or scattering in all directions when you turn the kitchen light on at night, they are disgusting, disturbing creatures to have infesting your Pennsylvania home or business.

In a previous article, we listed the common cockroaches found here in Pennsylvania, and how to identify each type. Today, we are going to focus on general dangers cockroaches pose both to health and reputation. The types of cockroaches we are focusing on include German cockroaches, Oriental cockroaches, American cockroaches, brownbanded cockroaches, and wood cockroaches. Not only do these creatures carry with them a whole host of potentially, disease-causing bacteria and pathogens, but they have the power to ruin even the most perfect of reputations.

  • Cockroaches contaminate food sources: When you see a roach crawling around on your kitchen counter, understand that it doesn't always live on your kitchen counter. It could have, just minutes before, been crawling through a dumpster, inside a drain pipe, or on the rim of a toilet. Cockroaches move fast and they pick up pathogens everywhere they roam, they then bring those germs back to the kitchen counter and into food storage areas, etc. When they do this, they have the potential to make us sick, since these filthy creatures are linked to the spread of 33 different kinds of bacteria, 6 parasitic worms, and at least 7 other pathogens.

  • Cockroaches bring disease: Bacteria, protozoa, and viruses have all been found inside the bodies of Oriental cockroaches and can cause disease. These disease-causing organisms are picked up in filthy places on the legs and bodies of these cockroaches and are subsequently deposited on food, and food prep surfaces, as the roaches travel through kitchens and pantries. A few of the illnesses roaches can spread include food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, leprosy, and plague.

  • Cockroaches can trigger asthma and allergies: Saliva, feces, and shed body parts of roaches can trigger allergic reactions or increased asthmatic symptoms in certain individuals. Acting like dust mites, these particles aggravate symptoms when they are kicked up into the air. This can be especially problematic if roaches have infested ventilation systems. Symptoms of cockroach allergens may include coughing, nasal congestion, watery eyes, skin rash, wheezing, ear infections and sinus infections. In some cases, these symptoms can become chronic.

  • Cockroaches can cause a bad odor: All roaches produce odorous secretions from various areas in their bodies and, if allowed to multiply and thrive, these secretions can taint the flavor of foods in restaurants or homes. If enough roaches are present, a noticeable bad odor will be evident.

  • Cockroaches cause social stigma: Nothing can ruin the reputation of a business faster than a cockroach sighting, especially if that sighting is in a restaurant or other business that deals with the storage, preparation, or sale of food items. And in today's day and age of instant reviews on internet review sites, one cockroach sighting can have long-lasting, detrimental consequences for your business. For a homeowner, cockroach sightings are embarrassing.

Why take chances of ruining the reputation of your business, or your character? Why take chances of allowing these filthy creatures to track disease-causing organisms into your home or business, or cause allergic or asthmatic reactions? Preventing a cockroach infestation or getting rid of a current infestation is as simple as contacting a professional pest control company.

The professionals here at Moyer Pest Control know how to handle cockroaches, whether it is preventing them or removing them, we have the tools, the products, and the know-how to make your home or business a much more inviting place to be. Reach out to Moyer today if you have questions or would like to schedule service.

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