Biological Waste Left Behind by Pests in Your Home

Usually when we think of pests, we think of things crawling on us or biting us in the middle of the night when we sleep. We think of rattling noises emanating from the attic or crawl space. But physical interaction with pests is just part of the problem.

Like all living organisms, pests eat, drink and expel waste. Waste products from biological creatures are toxic and harmful. They can carry disease which can make a person sick or even kill them.

Small dropping may appear harmless at first but over time the problem really starts to build, literally. Waste collects behind walls, in attics, in crawl spaces and becomes a toxic dump.

Rodents

Rodents, like mice and rats, spread various bacteria and viruses. Here is a list of those contagions that your family can be exposed to:

Bacteria:

• Leptospira spp.: Found in urine.
• Salmonella spp.: Present in feces, contaminates food or surfaces.
• Yersinia pestis: Transmitted via fleas on rats.
• Escherichia coli (certain strains): From feces.
• Listeria monocytogenes: From feces or contaminated areas.

Diseases:

• Leptospirosis: From contact with urine or contaminated water; symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, and in severe cases, kidney or liver failure.
• Salmonellosis: Food poisoning from ingesting contaminated food; causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
• Plague: Rare but serious, spread by flea bites; includes bubonic (swollen lymph nodes) and pneumonic (lung infection) forms.
• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome: From inhaling dust from dried feces, urine, or saliva; leads to fever, fatigue, and severe respiratory distress.
• Listeriosis: From contaminated food; causes fever, muscle aches, and severe illness in pregnant women, newborns, or the immunocompromised.

Roaches

Roaches are also a very common spreader of disease. These ugly little insects crawl all over your countertops, appliances, and floors, spreading disease. Their waste lingers in hidden spaces, later to be kicked up in a dry dusty particulate format and inhaled by an unwitting victim.

Bacteria:

• Salmonella spp.: Carried on bodies or in feces.
• Escherichia coli: Tracked across surfaces.
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Found on legs or bodies, thrives in damp areas.
• Staphylococcus aureus: Picked up from filthy environments.
• Shigella spp.: From feces or contact with contaminated surfaces.

Diseases:

• Salmonellosis: Diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps from food contamination.
• Shigellosis: Severe diarrhea (often bloody), fever, and stomach pain.
• Gastroenteritis: General term for stomach inflammation; nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea from E. coli or other bacteria.
• Allergic Reactions: Proteins in saliva, feces, and shed skin trigger asthma or skin reactions.

After Pests Have Been Eliminated

Even after your home is treated and there are no more signs of pest infiltration the threat may linger. If the pest problem has been there for some time, it may require that you hire a professional cleaning service to eliminate all the waste left behind.

These folks will show up in Tyvek suits and respirators and use various tools to take care of the contamination. They will vacuum the area thoroughly. They will then apply a germ-killing solution and manually remove the waste. After all of this, they will usually coat the area with one last application of anti-bacterial treatment.