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I don’t want you to get the wrong idea from the words up above – we’re not talking about pest problems making you sick as in feeling grossed out and uncomfortable (i.e. “You make me sick!”). We’re referring to actual, legitimate illnesses here from pest problems.
Don’t think it’s possible? Well then, you must not be familiar with your Medieval European history. One of the worst pandemics to ever strike mankind came as the result of contact with a pest: rats. The Black Death wiped out as many as 200 million people, and it was spread via fleas that traveled on rats.
We don’t have to worry about the Black Death these days, but there are still ways for pests to make you sick. Here are some common ailments associated with specific pests:
- Mosquitoes – West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus gets an awful lot of publicity, but it’s really not that common. The vast majority of mosquitoes don’t carry West Nile, and even if it’s passed on to you, 80 percent of infected humans never exhibit any symptoms. For those that do experience symptoms, they are generally mild, flu-like symptoms that aren’t life threatening.
However, in less than 1 percent of West Nile cases, the patient will develop a serious neurological condition. And that can definitely be life threatening. So while the odds are in your favor, that’s not necessarily a gamble you want to take.
- Rodents – Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
There are a few viruses you can still pick up from rodents, but HPS may be the most concerning. The symptoms feel like you have a bad flu, but also include shortness of breath. However, unlike the common flu, HPS has a sobering fatality rate: 38 percent. And since it has no cure or vaccine, the best way to fight it is with early detection and admission to the hospital.
Although transmission of HPS from rodent bites is rare, experts believe it can be passed through the air from rodent fecal matter.
- Cockroaches – Pretty Much Everything
That’s a slight exaggeration, but not by much. Cockroaches have been linked to more than 30 different forms of bacteria, SIX types of parasitic worm (Ed. Note: Ewwww) and E. coli and Salmonella. And that doesn’t include the millions of people that suffer from an allergy to cockroaches. They’re filthy. Just avoid them at all costs.
