Yes, cockroaches can make you sick. They contaminate food and surfaces with bacteria picked up in drains, garbage, and sewers, which can cause gastrointestinal illness. And they also shed skins and leave behind droppings that can worsen asthma and trigger allergy symptoms.
Cockroaches are trouble, but it’s not because they bite or have venom. No single roach will make you sick. But a lot of them can because they travel between filthy places and clean ones, repeatedly, in great numbers, at night.
Roaches forage in drains, garbage, compost, pet waste, and sewer lines, then walk across countertops, dishes, and stored food, carrying bacteria on their legs and bodies, and depositing droppings and regurgitation as they go. That’s why they’re often to blame for Salmonella and E. Coli. Having a bunch of cockroaches around increases your odds of food poisoning. They don’t cause disease, but they’re very good at moving it around.
The other major health problem with cockroaches is that a lot of people are allergic to them. They shed proteins from droppings, saliva, and their decomposing bodies and shed skins. It becomes part of the household dust. It's not good to breathe in this kind of airborne particulate matter. Kids often have trouble with it and it can trigger asthma attacks. Urban and multi-family housing tends to deal with this more.
Reducing risks is simple. Roaches need water more than food, so focus on fixing leaks and moisture problems first. You don’t want to leave food around, though, so be sure to also store food and pet food in sealed containers and take out trash every night. Clean under and behind appliances. If there are gaps around plumbing, cabinets, or baseboards, seal them with caulk. Sustained infestations, especially German cockroach populations, generally need professional treatment.
If you have a recurring cockroach problem, Mosquito Squad of Los Angeles can help. Mosquito Squad's home and yard coverage treats for roaches and other household pests. This will help you protect your kitchen and living areas from contamination.
