No one likes having bugs and pests in their home, yet the grossness factor isn’t the only reason you should want them out of your house. Having household pests taking up residence in your home also puts your family’s health at risk as well. Here are five ways household pets threaten your family’s health.
1. They Can Carry Disease
Mosquitos spread the West Nile Virus. Ticks spread Lyme Disease. Rats spread the Hantavirus. Cockroaches spread Salmonella and E. coli. These diseases are not simply annoying; they can be life-threatening.
2. They Can Aggravate Asthma
While no one wants to breathe air that has been contaminated by pests' droppings and shed skin, breathing this dirty air is even more unpleasant for asthma sufferers, who may experience asthma attacks as a result. These increased asthma symptoms are usually associated with cockroaches, but they are not limited to only one type of pest.
3. They Can Cause Allergic Reactions
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, twenty percent of children are severely allergic to cockroaches. Dust mite allergies, bee allergies and flea allergies are all very common as well. While some people are only mildly allergic, others may experience strong and dangerous reactions, including anaphylaxis and even death.
4. They Can Contaminate Your Food
When pests and rodents touch your food or the tools, utensils or surfaces that are used to prepare your food, they leave behind a wide variety of bacteria, including but not limited to Salmonella and E. coli. When your family ingests this food, they may become very ill. Oftentimes the shed skin cells, droppings and bacteria left behind are not visible or noticeable until it is too late.
5. The Chemicals Used to Treat Infestations are Generally Toxic
Pesticides are designed to kill living beings, and they are not generally healthy for humans to come into contact with. Many common pesticides are known to cause cancer, disrupt the nervous system, or affect the endocrine system. This is why you should be very cautious with store bought pesticides, and consult with professionals like Swat Bug Killers to determine what you can do to keep extermination safe for your family.
Household pests are not just annoying; they can also be quite harmful for your family’s health by bringing disease, aggravating your asthma and allergies, contaminating your food and requiring the use of strong chemicals in your home. Therefore, it is essential that all home owners take steps to prevent pests from entering their homes, and that they take care of any pests that do enter their home before they have a chance to multiply.