It’s true. Pests can carry a multitude of different diseases and bacteria, but here’s a nice bit of good news: coronavirus (COVID-19) isn’t one of them.
That being said, you shouldn’t forget about pest control right now. It’s been named an essential business sector by the Department of Homeland Security because of its integral role in public health and safety.
Here are some of the diseases pests CAN carry:
Malaria & West Nile Virus
2019 marked two decades since the arrival of West Nile virus as well as the discovery of malaria parasites in mosquitoes preserved in amber from the Paleogene period that are at least 30 million years old. Mosquitoes are the common pests that carry both diseases – making them the deadliest animal in the world, even though they don’t carry coronavirus.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and it’s caused by being bitten by an infected tick. And that’s not the only disease ticks can spread. Check out the list of diseases the Center for Disease Control attributes to those little clinging pests.
Ringworm
Squirrels, rats, opossums, groundhogs… just about any animal can bring ringworm in with it. Ringworm is a fungus that causes itchy skin, a ring-shaped rash, red, scaly, cracked patches of skin, and potentially even hair loss.
Salmonella
Cockroaches have been demonstrated to carry this bacteria on their feet – infecting anything they walk on. Most people who get ill from Salmonella have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, and some need to be hospitalized. There is no specific treatment for it, either.
So, the good news is that pests don’t carry COVID-19. The other good news is that Western Pest Services can help keep out the pests that carry many other diseases – including the ones mentioned above. It’s no big surprise pest control is an essential service during this time of social distancing. Call Western Pest. We can help with any pest issues you may have.