Roaches and rodents are two of the most reviled pests that homeowners deal with on a regular basis. The revulsion that people have for these pests is well-founded because they can spend their time in some pretty disgusting places. In addition, they can carry disease and spread it to humans. Roaches and rodents both pose a threat to humans but which one is worse? Should you focus your exclusion efforts more strongly toward one of these pests? Most homeowners will agree that neither rodents nor roaches are welcomed inside their home. Understanding the level of threat that each one poses can help you double down on your efforts to keep your home free from these pests.
Rodents
Rodents are one of the largest pests that homeowners encounter in California. They can range in size from small mice that are just a few inches in length to large rats that can have bodies up to ten inches long. No one wants to be surprised by a giant rat when they walk into their kitchen for a drink! Because of their size, many homeowners consider rodents to be a bigger threat than roaches. However, the size of this pest is not the thing that poses the biggest threat to your family. The main threat that rodents pose to humans is the threat of disease. Rodents can carry and spread a number of different diseases that pose a threat to humans. You can see a list of diseases that rodents can transmit directly to humans on the CDC website. This list includes diseases such as salmonellosis and lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis that have been found to occur in humans throughout the world. Rodents often spread disease by contaminating food and water supplies. They can also contaminate the air in your home with their urine and droppings. Rodents are a serious threat to the health of your family. In order to stay protected from the problems they can cause you need to take steps to keep them out of your home.
Roaches
Roaches are much smaller than rodents but they still have the ability to cause big problems. Like rodents, roaches can spread disease to humans. They crawl through all sorts of nasty bacteria and carry it around with them on their legs and body. When they find their way into your home they spread those bacteria onto your surfaces and into your food supply. The World Health Organization put together research that links roaches to the spread of serious issues such as diarrhea, dysentery, cholera, and typhoid fever among others. In addition, roaches can cause allergic reactions to people who are exposed to their carcasses, urine, feces, and parasitic organisms they have been known to carry.
There is not a clear answer to the question of which pest poses the biggest threat because both rodents and roaches can cause serious problems. The one thing that homeowners need to understand is the importance of keeping these pests out. If you need help protecting your home from the treat of rodents and roaches, give the experts at San Joaquin Pest Control a call.
