Sometimes a pest infestation goes by quickly and the person’s life doesn’t really change that much. For others, though, many different aspects are affected. In this article, we will take a look at all the various ways a pest infestation can truly turn your life around if it’s not treated properly and on time.
Diseases and allergic reactions
The diseases spread by pests are constantly changing in their frequency since a lot of them are nowadays quite rare thanks to better hygiene and vaccinations. Others have completely disappeared, while some re-emerge. In any case, all of them are quite serious and should not be ignored. Insects like lice, fleas, flies, ticks, mosquitoes and cockroaches, and rodents – mice and rats, are the ones that are most dangerous. For example, the deer mouse carries the hantavirus which causes an infectious flu-like disease that can develop into very serious and life-threatening breathing problems.
Of course, we cannot list all the possible diseases one can get from pests, but here are the most common ones, their symptoms and how they are treated.
Malaria
No doubt, this is one of the most popular ones, endangering most travellers because it’s so widespread around the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The parasite that causes this disease is a unicellular one and it’s transmitted by a mosquito of the genus Anopheles. The most common symptoms of malaria are headaches, high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea, feeling shivery and muscle pains. In order to treat the disease, you have to take prescription drugs that will kill the parasite.
Dengue fever
This viral disease can be found in Australia, Oceania, America (from northern Argentina to Southeastern USA), Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the Indian ocean and sub-Saharan Africa. It’s caused by a Flavivirus transmitted by a mosquito of the genus Aedes. There is a 7-days incubation period, after which the symptoms start – aches with rash and a high fever. A few days will pass following a remission that eases the temperature but then it starts again with the disease lasting for a full week. If it’s not a severe form of Dengue fever, that could cause death in rare cases, the recovery period starts and it could take months if not years. And the patient never fully recovers since he is left with long-lasting asthenia.
West Nile Disease
Again caused by a mosquito (Culex genus), this infection comes from the West Nile virus that originally only affected Africa, parts of central and southern Europe, India and the Middle East. Recently, however, it’s spread to the Eastern parts of Europe, Russia and across the American Continent. In France, it affects both horses and humans.
More often it’s an asymptomatic disease but it’s not that rare for it to cause flu-like states that are sometimes followed by neurological symptoms such as flaccid paralysis, meningitis, or meningoencephalitis. There is a risk of death and there is still no vaccine against it.
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is another disease caused by a Flavivirus and it’s also transmitted by a mosquito (Aedes genus). It doesn’t have an incubation period and it immediately begins with lower back pain, headaches and a high fever. It quickly progresses to its second stage that is called the red stage because of how it colours the face, even higher fever and a stronger headache. After 3 days begins the remission period which lasts for about a day or two and then begins the yellow stage. This is the heaviest one and includes a strong comeback of the fever, overall deterioration of the condition, black vomit (with blood), jaundice (the skin turns yellow), less urine, and severe blood loss. Oftentimes the progression of yellow fever can be fatal for the patient since there is no known treatment. However, there is a vaccine.
Lyme disease
This infection is spread through the bite of a tick of the Ixodes genus. It’s caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and it can be found in Northern America and Eurasia. Lyme disease begins with a red skin lesion with the tick bite as its centre, and it slowly spreads around until it disappears after a few days or weeks. However, it returns, sometimes even months later, with pain and paralysis, joint pain and abnormalities in the rhythm of the heart. It’s treated by antibiotics and sometimes it requires a stay in the hospital.
The leishmaniases
These are a group of parasite diseases caused by unicellular parasites that generally infect the reticulohistiocytic system. They are transmitted by a type of sand fly of the subfamily Phlebotominae. The way it affects the person is an increase in the lymphatic system and spleen and a severe drop in the number of blood cells. There is treatment but it takes a long time to actually work and needs to be followed very strictly.
Allergic reactions
Just like not every victim of a pest infestation will become sick from the viruses the pests carry, not every person will get an allergic reaction. But they can be just as dangerous, especially for young children. The most frequent symptoms are itching, swelling and hives in the area around the sting site. However, for the most sensitive people and the ones with severe allergies, a bite can lead to vomiting, nausea, coughing, abdominal pain, unconsciousness and even cardiac arrest. Another dangerous reaction is anaphylaxis that heavily impacts breathing, sends the body into shock and causes a very sudden drop in blood pressure.
Psychological damage
Yes, the diseases sound quite scary but they are still quite rare and most of them are treated before reaching the fatal end. However, the psychological ramifications are even more serious since they are not related to viruses or bacteria and they can happen to absolutely anyone, no matter what the pest is.
Here are the most common conditions people suffer from after a severe pest infestation.
PTSD
This anxiety disorder is quite common with more sensitive people after a severe bed bug, cockroach or mice infestation. The symptoms are more often insomnia, a constant state of panic, hypervigilance, nightmares, and much more. The victim is constantly irritated, thinking that the pest is not completely gone and no matter how many times they check the property and clean up. It’s the constant fear and embarrassment that the pests that were once in the property have either already come back or will in the future.
Phobia
Phobia is not simply a strong fear towards an object, situation or insect. It’s an overwhelming anxiety attack that starts when in contact with a certain pest, object or situation. It’s an irrational and extreme reaction that prevents the person from functioning and thinking properly. It makes the object of their fear much worse than it actually is – the spider becomes 5 times bigger, the cockroach suddenly has killer jaws and the mouse is gnawing on the family dog like a monster.
Everything is exaggerated and it’s very difficult to calm down someone who is in that state of panic. The reactions are quite serious, as well – abnormal sweating and breathing, stomach pains, chills and hot flushes, trembling, nausea, headaches, and sometimes – fainting or hyperventilating. Some people refuse to go out of their houses in fear of those pests, while others refuse to go inside after a severe infestation, thinking there are still pests inside.
Regarding pests, there are even specific types of phobia related to them – Arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), Katsaridaphobia (the fear of cockroaches), Murophobia (the fear of rodents- mostly just mice and rats), and Etnomophobia (the fear of insects in general).
OCD
Another common disorder is an obsessive-compulsive disorder which is often a result of the attained phobia. OCD is presented by constant disturbing thoughts, urges and images that are very hard to handle. Because these thoughts cannot be controlled, the person starts engaging in mental acts and repetitive behaviours that are supposed to calm them down. The most common way people with OCD deal with their issues is cleaning, especially after a bad pest infestation. They will start wiping the kitchen counters every few minutes, wash their hands 15 times a day, sweep the floor all the time, etc. This often leads to “Contamination obsession” which makes the patient constantly clean their surroundings, wash clothes and bedding, shower a few times each day, brush their teeth excessively, sometimes leading to gum damage and bleeding; for people who had lice, it might lead to constantly brushing and checking their hair resulting in it falling, and much much more.
Delusional Parasitosis
Sometimes, when you see an insect you particularly don’t like, you can almost feel it crawling on your skin. People with Delusional Parasitosis have these sensations all the time and they can often lead to self-harm. Especially after a bed bug infestation, these are creatures that come out at night and bite people in their sleep, so the constant feeling that something is crawling on your skin can make people try almost anything to get rid of those invisible insects. Delusional parasitosis often comes as an effect of phobia and PTSD.
Damage to your property
As if the health and psychological issues are not enough, pests can cause a ton of damage to your property and personal belongings. Here are some of the most common results of a pest infestation on a person’s home that can often cost tons of money to be rectified.
Unstable Floors
This mostly happens when a person has termites since they eat out the wooden furniture and hardwood floors, causing severe damage and deterioration. You can see the boards curling, flaking and crumbling from the pests. People should look out for crushed-looking wood as a sign of a termite infestation and start treating it right away.
Tap Test Failure
As we mentioned, wood damage is not only isolated to the floors of the house but the furniture as well. Termites create tunnels inside, making the wood unstable and hollow inside. This type of damage cannot be seen but it can be detected with a simple tap test. Solid, undamaged wood would produce a thudding sound when it’s tapped on, while damaged timber sounds hollow and weak. If it comes to this, you should definitely reach out to a specialist because it means that the infestation is already at its peak and cannot be treated with simple methods.
Electrical Problems
Rodents are known to chew on wires which can cause serious damage to the house electrical system. Appliances will stop working, there is a serious chance of fire and lights will either dim out or completely refuse to turn on. If you notice something like this happening, call for a professional company because it’s very dangerous to try and fix these things by yourself.
Mud Tunnels
These tunnels can be seen in your yard, close to the foundations of the house and are a combination of wood, saliva, faeces and soil. They can seriously damage the floors, lining walls and are a sure sign of a serious infestation that needs to be treated right away.
Conclusion
It’s very important not to underestimate all the dangers that come with a pest infestation regarding your physical and mental health, as well as the condition of your property. Look out for signs and as soon as you notice something that doesn’t look right or even see pests on the premises, contact a professional and sort out the issues as soon as possible.
