2023-12-04 21:00:24
Cockroaches are insects that carry viruses and bacteria. By stepping on them, we can expose ourselves to getting sick. Learn how to remove them safely.
Last update: December 4, 2023
Cockroaches are dangerous because of the diseases they can transmit. But they are not common vectors. In reality, what they do is carry viruses and bacteria on their surface and inside their organs.
While it is important to remove them from your home, you should do so carefully. When you step on them, you are likely to help the spread of microorganisms that carry.
Cockroaches can sneak anywhere, thanks to their flattened body. On the other hand, their exoskeleton makes them very resistant. It is a myth that they can resist a nuclear bomb, but it is true that they can live for a while without their heads and that they survive underwater for up to 40 minutes.
Health institutions warn that you should not step on cockroaches
When we see a cockroach, our first impulse is always to eliminate it, stepping on it or crushing it. However, this would not be the ideal method.
For the Organization World Health Organization (WHO), cockroaches are unhygienic scavengers. In this sense, they are considered mechanical vectors with the capacity to make human populations sick.
Since the 1990s, the WHO, in its Practical guide to a healthy home, warns about the danger of stepping on these insects. The National Center for Environmental Health echoes the same recommendation in its Manual for a healthy home.
Because? Well, because when we step on a cockroach we expose ourselves to releasing the infectious agents they carry into the air, both viruses and bacteria.
Furthermore, we must understand that Their exoskeleton allows them to flatten or resist a lot of weight without being completely hurt.. Therefore, they will be able to move, spreading their fluids, even after the crushing attempt we carry out.
What diseases do cockroaches transmit?
Stepping on a cockroach with your bare foot can initially cause an allergic skin reaction.. Additionally, allergens are released into the air that could worsen symptoms or trigger an acute attack if there is someone with asthma in the home.
Secondly, stepping on them could make it easier for the germs they carry to reach our body. The following are some of the diseases you can expose yourself to if you step on a cockroach:
Salmonellosis: the bacteria Salmonella It generates serious symptoms in people with problems in their immune system. Typical symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, fever and cramps in the abdomen. The condition is also known as typhoid fever or paratyphoid fever. Dysentery: This is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine. It is a severe gastroenteritis that causes bloody diarrhea and dehydration. It can also cause nausea and fever. Pneumonia: Bacteria with the potential to cause pneumonia in humans can live inside cockroaches. Some microorganisms are atypical and uncommon, which could make diagnosis difficult. Infectious hepatitis type A: cockroaches do not develop this disease nor are they a reservoir, but they can carry the virus from one place to another if they have been in contact with the feces of a sick person. The symptoms are nausea, fever, yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes, and pain in the liver area. Leprosy: as in hepatitis, cockroaches do not get leprosy, but they could be carriers of the infectious agent.
Safe methods to eliminate cockroaches
To prevent the spread of germs in your home, you must eliminate cockroaches in a correct and safe way. You already know not to step on them. So, what to do?
In the first instance, you have to prevent their entry into the home by cleaning the house. Then, if they still appeared, we recommend you follow one of the following techniques.
Borax
This method is effective because it kills the cockroaches by dehydrating them. In addition, you will be able to dehumidify the environment, which will also make its proliferation more difficult. You just need to get borax powder and Sprinkle it where you have seen cockroaches or where you suspect their nest is..
Keep children and pets away from borax, as ingesting it is toxic.
Baking soda and sugar
For this method we need baking soda and sugar. We just have to mix 100 grams of each substance in a container. Then, we spread this preparation in the places where cockroaches lurk the most.
sticky traps
Traps are an efficient way to eliminate cockroaches. We recommend buying a glue one. They are available in hardware stores or stores specialized in disinfection.
You will only have to place the trap and sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar around it or inside it. Repeat its use as many times as necessary, until there are no more trapped cockroaches.
Fumigate
This is the most effective method, but we must locate the nest and do a little investigation about what would be the best substance to use. There are free sales, other more specialized ones that are available in disinfection stores, and those that only experts apply.
The best option to do the application yourself is the powder fumigant. Aerosols carry the risk of accidental inhalation due to misuse or insufficient protection.
Close all windows and doors in your home, clear the areas where you are going to spray, and use your favorite insecticide. Place the powder in the nest and in the areas that have the most circulation of the animal.
Remember to wear a mask throughout the entire process. And don’t go overboard with the quantities; only those indicated on the packaging.
Protect your home from diseases without stepping on cockroaches
It is essential to scare away disease vectors from our home. But no less important is doing it safely for everyone.
Now you know why it is useless and dangerous to step on cockroaches. So don’t take any chances the next time you see a y Try one of the methods we share with you.
If the infestation problem is large, call a fumigation professional. And, of course, keep your home clean. That way, the cockroaches won’t even peek into your corners and you won’t have to come to the question of whether to squash them or not.
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