Insects and other pests are vital to our ecosystems. It’s when they make themselves at home in your home or business that problems arise. Rodents and roaches can spread infectious diseases. Flies spread harmful bacteria. Spider bites can be painful and require medical attention. Here’s what you should know about some of the most serious health risks from pests.
Cockroach excrement and cast skins contain allergens from which many people develop allergies. Exposure to roach allergens early in life may contribute to the development of asthma in susceptible children. In addition to contributing to asthma, cockroaches also transmit diseases like Salmonella through organisms on their legs and other body parts.
Roach control involves sanitation to remove food, water and harborage, along with efforts to keep roaches out of buildings. Also commonly used are pesticidal baits and sprays to reduce their numbers. The most successful cockroach strategies use baits, either in bait stations or as gels applied in cracks and crevices, and some limited spraying with residual insecticides. Irshad takes an Integrated Pest Management approach to all pest problems that minimizes the use of pesticides.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through their urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection.
The control of rats and mice involves sanitation to remove food, water and harborage, plugging all entry points to a building, and mechanical trapping and baiting with rodenticides. Rodenticides are placed in tamper-resistant containers to prevent human exposure. Irshad takes an Integrated Pest Management approach to all pest problems that minimizes the use of pesticides.
Mosquitoes are the prime carriers of several types of encephalitis, a devastating illness that attacks the central nervous system of humans. West Nile Virus is one of these types of encephalitis. There were over 4000 cases of West Nile disease in the US during 2002, including 284 deaths. West Nile virus has since spread throughout the continental United States.
Eliminating standing water is the most effective strategy for controlling mosquitoes. Remove existing or potential breeding sites such as abandoned tires, birdbaths and old toys. Make sure all screens are repaired and in place. As much as possible, stay inside when mosquito activity is heavy—dawn and dusk. And use insect repellent on exposed skin and clothes—an effective repellent will contain 35% permethrin or DEET. As your pest management provider, Irshad takes an Integrated Pest Management approach to mosquito abatement that includes pest identification, source reduction, larvaciding, adulticiding and biological control.
Stings are a health threat in two ways: through the direct effects of pain, itching and swelling, and from allergic reactions to the venom that may be debilitating for days or weeks. Reactions vary from mild systemic effects such as hives, itching and wheezing, to severe systemic reactions such as sudden swelling of the respiratory tract, crash in blood pressure, collapse and death within 15 to 30 minutes.
Paper wasps, including yellow jackets and hornets, will aggressively defend their nests, stinging repeatedly. To eliminate the danger of wasps living under building ledges or in attics, their nests should be knocked down or insecticides used for nests in hard-to-reach areas or wall voids. A soap/water mixture may also kill wasps and bees.
Pests can seriously damage the structural integrity of your home or business. Rodents, for example, can gnaw on electrical wires, leaving them exposed and at risk of catching fire. Termites and other wood-destroying insects can compromise the integrity of an entire building with surprising speed. Because much of the damage from pests occurs in hidden spots such as under floors, between walls, and in attics and crawlspaces, damage often occurs before it’s noticed by homeowners or business owners. Irshad Pest Solutions experts are trained to spot the early warning signs of structural damage before it’s too late.
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