Having recently come out the other end of a worldwide pandemic, it’s little wonder more and more people are hyper-aware and hyper-vigilant of the spectrum of different pathogens and bacteria that can potentially make us sick.
Many of us are familiar with airborne viruses like the common cold, the flu and – more recently, COVID. Suppose you’ve been unfortunate enough to get food poisoning from a dodgy kebab or undercooked chicken. In that case, you know the devastating effects salmonella can have on your body (and the toilet bowl).
But what types of pests carry harmful bacteria or pathogens that may make us sick? We outline below the different types of pests you will encounter in Brisbane and what to watch out for if you feel unwell.
Mice and rats
We’re all familiar with these rodents and the damage they can do, as was evident by the mouse plague in mid-2022 that hit rural areas of Queensland that caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to crops, feed and homes.
There are a range of different diseases that mice carry and can be carried over to humans. Below we outline these diseases and their symptoms.
Leptospirosis
This bacterial infection is present in mouse and rat urine and can be caught if you’re handling materials that have mouse or rat urine on them.
Symptoms include:-
- fever
- headache
- sore muscles
- chills
- vomiting
- red eyes
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection
You can catch this infection from handling rat or mouse urine, but it’s also transmissible via the faeces and saliva of infected rodents.
Symptoms include:-
- influenza-like symptoms
- headaches
- meningism (neck stiffness and pain when looking directly at lights)
Rat bite fever
Simple name but not so simple to keep away. Rat bite fever is transmitted by allowing rodents to contaminate food preparation areas and through direct contact.
Symptoms include:-
- fever
- muscle pain
- rash
- joint pains
- vomiting
- headache
Gastro
Also known as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis, these bacterial infections will make you very crook indeed. This infection is transmitted via contaminated surface areas or direct contact with rodents.
Symptoms include:-
- diarrhoea
- fever
- abdominal pain
- headache
- vomiting
- body aches
- lethargy
If you have a rat or mouse problem in your home, Abolish Termite and Pest Management can assist in getting rid of these unwanted and sometimes dangerous rodents.
Cockroaches
They’re creepy, and they’re crawly, and always an unwelcome guest in your home. What dangers lurk in cockroaches' spindly little legs and ugly brown bodies?
Salmonella
We are all familiar with what’s commonly called food poisoning. Most of us are familiar with the idea that badly cooked meat or food that’s past its use-by date can harbour the bacteria that causes this condition, but cockroaches can also pass it onto humans.
Symptoms include:-
- diarrhoea
- fever
- abdominal pain
- headache
- vomiting
- body aches
- lethargy
Staphylococcus
Also known as a staph infection, will cause skin irritation and, in some serious cases, can be life-threatening. If your skin is red, painful or has blisters filled with pus, this is possibly a staph infection, and you should see a doctor immediately.
Symptoms include:-
- high temperature (above 38°C)
- rapid heartbeat
- trouble breathing
- dizziness
- confusion or disorientation
- drowsiness
- inability to urinate or reduced urination functions
Streptococcus
The streptococcus strain of bacteria can cause a range of different conditions, including strep throat and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Often this infection will get into the body via cuts or open wounds so if you’re handling materials that have had cockroaches running all over it, please be sure to wear gloves and wash hands often.
Symptoms include:-
- sore throat (usually starts very quickly)
- pain when swallowing
- red dots in your mouth
- swollen lymph nodes in your neck
- fever and chills
- muscle aches
- nausea and vomiting
Out of all the household pests we treat... rats, mice and cockroaches are by far the most prevalent and are most likely to cause health problems with your family.
If you would like to talk with a professional pest control company about insect or rodent control, please feel free to call us today on 1300 057 067.