Cockroaches

Cockroaches The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) reports that one-in-five children in the United States have severe sensitivities to cockroach allergens, which increase the severity of asthma symptoms. These allergens are most commonly introduced in homes through cockroach saliva, droppings and the decomposing bodies of these pests. Cockroaches can also carry bacteria such as E coli and salmonella on their bodies, which can contaminate food, cooking equipment and food surfaces. Rodents Rodents can enter a building through almost any opening or crack. It is important to inspect for rodent droppings, especially in undisturbed areas such as pantries, under baseboards and along walls. Rodent droppings most often cause allergic reactions in human beings but can also cause disease, including the potentially deadly Hantavirus. More frequently, though, rodents serve as vectors, carrying bacteria, such as salmonella, on their bodies and contaminating food sources, kitchen surfaces and equipment. A pest control professional can offer the expertise and knowledge of rodent biology to best protect your health and rid your home of a rodent infestation. Ticks Lyme disease has emerged, in recent years, as a major health risk to human beings. Transmitted by ticks, typically between May and October, lyme disease is largely found in the Northeastern, upper mid-western Western states of the U.S. However, there has been an increase in the diagnosed cases of lyme disease in the South. It is critical to be vigilant of ticks, especially if you are in wooded areas. Symptoms of Lyme disease include a "bull's eye" rash around the bite, flu-like symptoms and extreme fatigue.   |PEST CONTROL CANADA | |Pests  And Health Hazards | |  | |West Nile Virus : In Canada |The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy   [pic] | |Hantavirus | | |Cleaning up rodent infested areas. |Section 23. Poisoning   [pic] | | | | | |Chapter 308. Bites And Stings | | | | | |Topics | | | | | |Venomous Snakes | | | | | |Venomous Lizards | | | | | |Spiders | | | | | |Bees, Wasps, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Ants | | | | | |Other Biting Arthropods | | | | | |Centipedes, Millipedes | | | | | |Scorpions | | | | | |Marine Animals | | | | [pic] RODENT RELATED HEALTH HAZARDS & DISEASES Here is information on common diseases caused by rats, as gathered from the Center For Disease Control & Prevention http://www.cdc.gov Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS): Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection. Murine Typhus: Murine typhus (caused by infection with R. typhi) occurs worldwide and is transmitted to humans by rat fleas. Flea-infested rats can be found throughout the year in humid tropical environments, but in temperate regions are most common during the warm summer months. Travelers who visit in rat-infested buildings and homes, especially in harbor or riverine environments, can be at risk for exposure to the agent of murine typhus. Rat-bite fever (RBF): Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a systemic bacterial illness caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis that can be acquired through the bite or scratch of a rodent or the ingestion of food or water contaminated with rat feces. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: As its name suggests, it causes a typhoid-like disease in mice. In humans S. Typhimurium does not cause as severe disease as S. Typhi, and is not normally fatal. The disease is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and nausea, and generally lasts up to 7 days. Unfortunately, in immunocompromized people, that is the elderly, young, or people with depressed immune systems, Salmonella infections are often fatal if they are not treated with antibiotics. Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans it causes a wide range of symptoms, and some infected persons may have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or a rash. If the disease is not treated, the patient could develop kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, and respiratory distress. In rare cases death occurs. Eosinophilic Meningitis: Eosinophilic meningitis is an infection of the brain occurring in association with an increase in the number of eosinophils, white blood cells that are associated with infection with worms that penetrate into the body. The organism most commonly causing eosinophilic meningitis is a rat lung worm called angiostrongylus cantonensis. 2. Pests as vectors or transmitters of disease Potential human pathogens have been isolated from a wide variety of pests. However, simply finding a pathogenic micro- organism in or on a pest is not sufficient evidence that the pest is acting as a vector for that organism. For this reason, significant research has had to be carried out both into the potential for pests to act as disease vectors as well as their ability to transmit and cause disease. The most important organisms themselves have been researched with a view to determining the possibility that transmission of disease by pests could occur. A few of these generalist pests (in particular, cockroaches, rodents, ants and flies) have been the subject of extensive studies, in a large part because they are found extensively in restaurants, hospitals and kitchens. Cockroaches Cockroaches are ubiquitous pests, which feed on faeces, human and animal waste and on human foodstuffs. They have been found in sewers and toilets and are particularly associated with areas where food is stored or prepared. They are also common pests in hospitals and laboratories and have been known to feed on sputum and other clinical specimens. There is increasing evidence that they are capable of causing serious allergic reactions such as asthma, and that they are second only to dust mites as insect causes of these conditions. A wide range of species of bacteria have been shown to survive on the cuticle and in the gut (particularly the hindgut) of these insects and they are therefore prime candidates to act as vectors of pathogenic organisms either mechanically or via their faeces. For example, scientists who examined the carriage of bacteria by German cockroaches in multi-family dwellings in Rennes, France, found 30 different bacterial species in the insects. Rodents Of all the rodent species, rats and mice pose the greatest risk to humans due to their commensal nature, i.e. their ability to live in close association with man and his dwellings. Rats and mice are capable of rapid reproduction and are omnivorous feeders, being able to survive on the smallest amounts of food and water. House mice, Mus musculus sp., in addition, can live without free drinking water when the moisture content of their food is 15 to 16%, allowing their survival in seemingly inhospitable environments such as warehouses storing dried foodstuffs. Rodents often become problematic during colder spells, when they enter buildings and warehouses seeking shelter and food. Sewer systems also provide ideal habitats for rodents, and faults in drainage passages are common routes by which these animals can breach building structures. Diseases carried by commensal rodents can be spread in a number of ways, either by direct contact between man and animal via bites or urine, or by indirect contact via excrement coming into contact with food or water which is subsequently consumed by humans. In addition, parasites living in or on host animals may also act as vectors of disease, capable of transmitting pathogenic organisms onto humans. Ants Several species of ants are found in buildings, one of the most important pest species in temperate regions being the Pharaoh’s ant Monomorium pharaonis. Pharaoh’s ants are a tropical species which, in temperate regions, have to rely on artificial heat for survival. They therefore tend to be confined to places, such as hospitals and large stores or restaurants, which are constantly heated. They are omnivorous but show a preference for raw and cooked meats and sweet items of food. They have been found in wards, kitchens and operating theatres in hospitals and visit moist areas such as bedpans, toilets, drains, sinks and sluices. Pharaoh’s ants have been reported from inside sterile packs and intravenous giving sets. They have been found feeding on discharges inside dressings of patients with suppurating lesions, a behaviour that could lead to wound infection. Flies Many species of flies are pests but although most of these are of no particular public health importance some species do act as carriers or vectors of pathogens. Of the non-biting flies associated with humans the most common are members of the genus Musca (particularly the housefly M. domestica). Flies have a strong affinity for humans and their dwellings and a propensity to breed in human and animal faeces. They are also highly mobile and move readily from faecal matter and rotting animal tissue to human food utensils. They are therefore potentially extremely important as vectors of human pathogens. In 1998, the FDA reported that the presence of disease-causing flies in a food-handling establishment constituted a potentially hazardous HACCP situation. They also stated that the threat posed is a threat of a contributing factor that could cross-contaminate food with in-plant pathogens, contaminate food with pathogens or myiasis-causing larvae or circumvent an otherwise effective biocidal critical control point. Specifically mentioned are 17 flies which are catagorized as “filth flies”. Of these 14 are considered a serious threat to health in food premises. These are Musca domestica, Muscina stabulans, Stomoxys calcitrans, Fannia canicularis, Fannia scalaris, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysoma putoria, Cochliomya macellaria, Phaenicia sericata, Calliphora vicina, Calliphora vomitoria, Cynomyopsis cadaverina, Sarcophaga carnaria and Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis. Fruit flies (Drosphila sp.) have also been implicated in the transmission of disease-causing pathogens in laboratory experiments and if they are proven to carry these pathogens in wild populations, then they can also be added to the above list. In 1999, it was reported that synanthropic flies, ie those which feed on excreta etc. and invade food and domestic premises, can also serve as mechanical vectors for C. parvum and under poor sanitary conditions could be involved in the transmission of human and animal cryptosporidiosis. The biology and ecology of synanthropic flies indicate that their potential for mechanical transmission of C. parvum oocysts can be high. 4. Do arthropod pests transmit disease' The role of the non-biting pests as vectors of disease is, in general, far from clear. It has been proven that such pests carry a wide range of disease causing organisms but can they transmit them' There is a lack of studies properly designed to test this role and hence relatively little evidence to suggest that they actually do so. Simply finding an organism in a pest species is not sufficient evidence that the pest is acting as a vector for that organism. Equally it is not sufficient to show that a pest could theoretically act as a vector, it must be shown actually to do so. However, associations have been shown between the removal of a pest species shown to carry an organism and the disappearance of the organism from a human population, or the reduction of the number of cases of illness caused by that organism in that population. There is, in fact, very little good evidence that pathogens are transmitted by “non-biting” pests to any significant extent, particularly in temperate regions. Most is purely circumstantial. The best evidence is for shigellas. Human infection can occur following the ingestion of very small numbers of these organisms and they are readily transmitted from person to person and by infected food and fomites. There is also good evidence that they can be transmitted by flies. Much of the early evidence was circumstantial and consisted largely of observations linking seasonal peaks in the prevalence of flies and of diarrhoeal disease. Some experimental evidence to support these observations came from fly control programmes undertaken in the southern United States following the introduction of effective insecticides in the 1950s. These showed that a reduction in the prevalence of shigellosis occurred following the reduction in density of flies. Much firmer evidence came from a prospective crossover intervention study recently undertaken in Israel. A fly control program carried out at military bases found that a reduction in the fly population led to a significant decrease in the number of clinic visits for shigellosis and for seroconversion for antibodies to shigellas (and also to enterotoxigenic E.coli). Engineering Controls Engineering controls are the most effective means of reducing excessive heat exposure. The examples which follow illustrate some engineering approaches to reducing heat exposure. • Reducing Metabolic Heat Production (heat produced by the body): Automation and mechanization of tasks minimize the need for heavy physical work and the resulting buildup of body heat. • Reducing the Radiant Heat Emission from Hot Surfaces: Covering hot surfaces with sheets of low emissivity material such as aluminum or paint that reduces the amount of heat radiated from this hot surface into the workplace. • Insulating Hot Surfaces: Insulation reduces the heat exchange between the source of heat and the work environment. • Shielding: Shields stop radiated heat from reaching work stations. Two types of shields can be used. Stainless steel, aluminum or other bright metal surfaces reflect heat back towards the source. Absorbent shields, such as a water-cooled jackets made of black-surfaced aluminum, can effectively absorb and carry away heat. • Ventilation and Air Conditioning: Ventilation, localized air conditioning, and cooled observation booths are commonly used to provide cool work stations. Cooled observation booths allow workers to cool down after brief periods of intense heat exposure while still allowing them to monitor equipment. • Reducing the Humidity: Air conditioning, dehumidification, and elimination of open hot water baths, drains, and leaky steam valves help reduce humidity. Personal Protection Ordinary clothing provides some protection from heat radiated by surrounding hot surfaces. Specially designed heat-protective clothing is available for working in extremely hot conditions. In hot and humid workplaces, light clothing allows maximum skin exposure and efficient body cooling by sweat evaporation. Workers who move back and forth between very hot, dry indoor environments and cold winter outdoor environments find that long underwear moderates the extremes in temperatures. Eye protection which absorbs radiation is needed when the work involves very hot objects, such as molten metals and hot ovens. Work that requires the wearing of impermeable clothing presents an added heat burden as the clothing reduces the body's ability to dissipate heat. Under such circumstances, it is often necessary to reduce the exposure limit values of WBGT to levels below those appropriate for workers wearing light clothing. |Table 3 | |Summary of Control Measures | |Method of Control |Action | |Engineering controls | | |Reduce body heat production |Mechanize tasks. | |Stop exposure to radiated heat from hot objects |Insulate hot surfaces. Use reflective shields, aprons, remote controls. | |Reduce convective heat gain |Lower air temperature. Increase air speed if air temperature below 35°C. | | |Increase ventilation. Provide cool observation booths. | |Increase sweat evaporation |Reduce humidity. Use a fan to increase air speed (movement). | |Clothing |Wear loose clothing that permits sweat evaporation but stops radiant | | |heat. Use cooled protective clothing for extreme conditions. | |Administrative controls | | |Acclimatization |Allow sufficient acclimatization period before full workload. | |Duration of work |Shorten exposure time and use frequent rest breaks. | |Rest area |Provide cool (air-conditioned) rest-areas. | |Water |Provide cool drinking water. | |Pace of Work |If practical, allow workers to set their own pace of work. | |First aid and medical care |Define emergency procedures. Assign one person trained in first aid to | | |each work shift. Train workers in recognition of symptoms of heat | | |exposure. | Can we become acclimatized to hot environments' The body adapts to a new thermal environment by a process called acclimatization. Complete heat acclimatization generally takes six to seven days, but some individuals may need longer. Loss of acclimatization occurs gradually when a person is moved permanently away from a hot environment. However, a decrease in heat tolerance occurs even after a long weekend. As a result of reduced heat tolerance, it is often not advisable for anyone to work under very hot conditions on the first day of the week. New employees should acclimatize before assuming a full workload. It is advisable to assign about half of the normal workload to a new employee on the first day of work and gradually increased on subsequent days. Although well-trained, physically fit workers tolerate heat better than people in poor physical condition, fitness and training do not substitute for acclimatization. Some medications interfere with acclimatization. For example, hypotensives (drugs causing low blood pressure), diuretics, antispasmodics, sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants and amphetamines decrease the body's ability to cope with heat. Workers should seek a doctor's advice on the suitability of a medication for them if they work in hot environments. Consumption of alcohol also interferes with acclimatization. How can I prevent heat related illnesses' If practical, workers in hot environments should be encouraged to set their own work and rest schedules. Infrequent or irregular tasks such as emergency repairs of hot process equipment often result in heat exposure. Experienced workers can often judge heat strain and limit their exposure accordingly. Inexperienced workers may need special attention as they may continue to work beyond the point at which signs of heat strain appear. People are generally unable to notice their own heat stress related symptoms. Their survival depends on their coworker's ability to recognize these symptoms and seek timely first aid and medical help. Salt and Fluid Supplements: A person working in a very hot environment loses water and salt through sweat. This loss should be compensated by water and salt intake. Fluid intake should equal fluid loss. On average, about one litre of water each hour may be required to replace the fluid loss. Plenty of cool (10-15°C) drinking water should be available on the job site and workers should be encouraged to drink water every 15 to 20 minutes even if they do not feel thirsty. Alcoholic drinks should NEVER be taken as alcohol dehydrates the body. An acclimatized worker loses relatively little salt in their sweat and, therefore, the salt in the normal diet is usually sufficient to maintain the electrolyte balance in the body fluids. For unacclimatized workers who may sweat continuously and repeatedly, additional salt in the food may be used. Salt tablets are not recommended because the salt does not enter the body system as fast as water or other fluids. Too much salt can cause higher body temperatures, increased thirst and nausea. Workers on salt-restricted diets should discuss the need for supplementary salt with their doctor. Sport drinks, fruit juice, etc: Drinks specially designed to replace body fluids and electrolytes may be taken but for most people, they should be used in moderation. They may be of benefit for workers who have very physically active occupations but keep in mind they may add unnecessary sugar or salt to your diet. Fruit juice or sport and electrolyte drinks, diluted to half the strength with water, is an option. Drinks with alcohol or caffeine should never be taken, as they dehydrate the body. For most people, water is the most efficient fluid for re-hydration. Emergency Action Plan: In extreme environments, an emergency plan is needed. The plan should include procedures for providing affected workers with first aid and medical care.