Cockroach infestations don’t just bring creepy crawlies; They fill homes with allergens and bacterial toxins that can cause asthma and allergies.
Researchers at North Carolina State University found that larger infestations meant higher levels of toxins, especially from female cockroaches.
Findings that highlighted how pest control is vital for cleaner, healthier indoor air reported that eliminating cockroaches through pest control can cause levels of both allergens and endotoxins to plummet.
Cockroach infestations release high levels of allergens and bacterial endotoxins that worsen indoor air quality and health.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have identified a clear connection between the extent of cockroach infestations in homes and the amount of allergens and bacterial toxins known as endotoxins found inside. It is in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Endotoxins are fragments of bacterial cell walls that are released when bacteria die.
Because cockroaches consume a wide range of materials, they harbor a diverse gut microbiome. Previous studies have shown that these insects eliminate large amounts of endotoxins through their excrement.
The research was conducted in multi-unit apartment complexes in Raleigh, North Carolina. The scientists measured the magnitude of cockroach infestations along with the concentrations of allergens and endotoxins in each home.
The infested apartments were divided into two categories: untreated homes and those that received professional extermination to eliminate the cockroaches. The researchers also included a control group from residences without infestation. Dust and insect samples were collected again at three and six months.
To establish baseline readings, samples of settled and suspended dust were collected before beginning any treatment.
Although humans and pets can also produce endotoxins, the researchers found that a significant portion of those detected in house dust originated from cockroach feces.
The findings revealed that infested houses contained high amounts of endotoxins, with female cockroaches producing approximately twice as much as males.
Madhavi Kakumanu, a North Carolina researcher in Schal’s lab and co-corresponding author of the paper, noted that kitchens typically contain more endotoxins than bedrooms, as they provide abundant food sources for cockroaches.
According to Coby Schal, Blanton J. Whitmire Distinguished Professor of Entomology at NC State and co-corresponding author of a paper, “Endotoxins are important to human health, as inhalation of these components has been shown to cause allergic responses.”
He added; “Previous surveys of U.S. households found much higher endotoxin levels in homes with evidence of cockroaches; that association is stronger in low-income homes than in single-family homes.”