Everyone knows that mosquitoes and ticks bite. We also know the itchy red welts bed bugs can leave behind and that rodents like mice and rats are filthy animals that contaminate wherever their feet land. But did you know that cockroaches can cause asthma attacks? Or that almost half a million people are treated for Lyme disease every year in the United States? Or that flies can cause dysentery? There’s no need to panic, though. Not only will routine pest control services help keep you and your family (and your pets) safe, but being in the know is a great start, too.

What Diseases Do Pests Carry/Transmit?

Hantavirus: There are several kinds of hantavirus. Rats carry the Seoul virus, a specific type of hantavirus that is found in both wild and domestic rat populations globally. It’s primarily carried by the Norway rat – which is prevalent in the Mid-Atlantic. Seoul virus spreads to humans via contact with infected rat urine, feces, or saliva. Rats carrying the virus typically show no symptoms themselves. While rats primarily carry the Seoul virus, other wild rodents (like deer mice and cotton rats) carry different strains of hantavirus that cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory illness.

Lyme Disease: Deer (a.k.a., blacklegged) ticks are the only known tick species that carries and transmits Lyme disease. It’s one of the most common ticks in our area and there are PLENTY of them around. Anyone that has gone on a hike or just a short walk with their dog knows just how many of these ticks are around by how many you’re picking off Buster (or Spot or Buddy, etc.). And should you miss one, that tick is now either stuck to your pet or in your house looking for someone else to get attached to. Lyme disease can be dangerous, but it is rarely fatal and almost always curable if treated early. The level of danger depends entirely on how quickly you catch it and whether the infection spreads to vital organs.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS): A bite from some ticks – primarily the Lone Star tick – can trigger Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), an allergy to a sugar molecule found in most mammals and transferred to people by a tick bite. It can cause the immune system to react to this sugar molecule, resulting in a delayed allergic reaction to red meat and sometimes dairy or gelatin. While it’s a relatively new disease (less than 40 years since its first documented case), it’s becoming less and less rare.

Asthma: No, pests don’t actually cause asthma. But skins left behind by cockroaches when they shed them to grow, and the feces and urine of many pests if left alone and not properly, safely cleaned up can disperse into the air and not only cause asthma attacks, but can also cause other respiratory problems.

Dysentery: The common house fly can actually spread dysentery… and cholera, Typhoid, Salmonella, Tuberculosis, and even Anthrax! It’s not exactly common since modern-day sanitation is the best way to defend against flies and the diseases they can spread. But it’s a risk, nonetheless.

West Nile Virus: West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States. It’s rare for someone to come down with it, but there are always a few cases that pop up during late spring into summer when mosquitoes are starting to become more active. Even if you’re infected, the odds of the viral infection becoming anything more than mild is very low. Still, nobody likes even a 1% chance.

Rabies: All mammals can carry and transmit rabies. However, the most common carriers depend on geography. In North America, the primary wildlife reservoirs are bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. Staying away from wildlife is your best way to keep you and your pets safe from getting bitten or scratched by an animal with rabies. Keep in mind, just because you see a nocturnal animal out during the day does not necessarily mean it has rabies. It could just be a mommy raccoon searching for food for her babies! If it’s confused and having trouble walking, overly aggressive, or drooling or foaming at the mouth, you can assume the animal is rabid. As always, stay away, and call your local animal control immediately.

What Can You Do?

Some of the diseases pests can transmit are really rare for humans to contract (like West Nile). But others, like Lyme disease, are much easier to get and can be serious. And even though stinging pests like hornets, yellow jackets, and wasps can’t transmit diseases, they can be a hazard to people with allergies and even to those without an allergy if they are stung enough times. But there are some things you can do to help keep people safer from all pests.

• Pest Control: Ensure you have a proper pest management program in place. No matter the season, be sure you’re bringing in an expert that can focus on the right pests and help keep them to a minimum. Even ONE of these pests with the potential to transmit disease around your home or business is one too many. 
• Keep it Clean: Wipe down tables for spilled drinks and sanitize patio furniture like tables and benches where food crumbs can easily hide, which are appealing snacks to flies, hornets, and roaches.
• Let Your Flowers Help: Instead of planting flowering plants that tend to attract bees and other stinging insects, consider planting some flowers that will help repel certain pests like geraniums, lavender, and catnip. Get more information about that here.

Pests are more than just nuisances. They can actually be a hazard to your health. But implementing those small steps can help in a really big way. Stay safe out there!