Everything You Didn’t Want to Know About Cockroaches.. Cockroach Diseases

Cockroaches may spread a range of diseases; It is believed that the cockroach may be a reservoir for a range of bacteria including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and salmonella. The cockroach can also harbor viruses such as the poliovirus (poliomyelitis).


We get sick when we contact the diseases that cockroaches carry, the contact might be as a result of contamination of our living spaces, food, household utensils and so on, and people develop an allergic reaction to the presence of cockroach feces. Nobody purposefully exposes him/herself to cockroach diseases and feces but it happens by inhalation of a dust particle in the air that has left behind by the cockroach. If our food has not been stored properly, it can be contaminated with cockroach feces and its salivary gland secretion.


Cockroach Diseases


Cockroaches can transmit the following diseases:



Human symptoms, which typically show 12 to 72 hours after infection, include diarrhea, fever, and vomiting (to name a few). Recovery usually occurs after four to seven days, with little to no medical treatment need, besides replenishing fluids.


Typhoid Fever:



Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by the Vibrio cholera bacterium. It is most common in developing countries and areas that have inadequate environmental management. Infection occurs through ingestion of food and drinks contaminated with the bacterium. If exposed to the bacterium, cockroaches can spread the organism through their feces and vomit, contaminating surfaces and food.



There are two types of dysentery. They are:





Cockroaches are believed to spread the disease through their feces. Whilst the bacteria are not highly infectious, if left untreated, it can cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, eyes, and skin which can lead to disfigurement and deformities.






  • Swollen and painful lymph nodes.
  • Chills
  • Muscle cramps
  • High fever

People infected by the plague need to receive urgent treatment and sh


ould be given antibiotics 24 hours after infection to avoid severe consequences.



Campylobacteriosis is an infection caused by the Campylobacter bacterium. It is one the most common bacterial infections in humans and is a common foodborne illness. Researchers have isolated a Campylobacter jejuni subspecies in the gut contents and on the external surface of both American cockroaches and Oriental cockroaches.


Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is usually contracted by consuming contaminated food and drink. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is an important public health problem in the United States.


How Do We Get Rid of them?



We need to do these preventive measures all the time because some cockroaches have been known to live up to three months without food and a month without water. They love to remain in a moist or warm environment, they are resilient enough to survive occasional freezing temperatures, this makes them difficult to eradicate once they have infested an area.

Cockroaches are among the hardiest insects on the planet. Some species are capable of remaining active for a month without food and are able to survive on limited resources like the glue from the back of postage stamps. Some can go without air for 45 minutes. Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal and will run away when exposed to light except for the Asian cockroach, which is attracted to light.

How did you deal with cockroaches in your surroundings? Your solutions or suggestion may help others who have been finding it difficult to eliminate cockroach totally in their surroundings. Feel free to make your contributions here, we will gladly want to hear from you.

  1. Derek says

    i probably ate cockroach mistakenly in my poor days!

  2. Ntia Ntia says

    Cockroaches no doubt are the nastiest and most disgusting insects to have around the house or your food; worst, when you happen to find them crawling on your skin, ewe!… irritating. With what i have read i think i have been alerted to be very conscious concerning this dark moist disease spreading creature. I must admit i think this is a great article but since roaches are small insects that love the dark and moist places, how really can we prevent their existence from the house. I mean every house has a refuse disposal and this can be a good hiding place for cockroaches.

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