Cockroaches and Asthma
Cockroaches affecting people with asthma
A large, federally funded research project recently looked for allergy-producing elements in the homes of several hundred asthmatic children living in major cities across the United States. They measured the amount of cat, dust mite, and cockroach allergen in the bedrooms of these four to nine-year-old children. The outcomes were stunning. Cockroaches were the most common allergen in these inner-city homes.
Of course, it's more complicated than that, because humans have a proclivity to develop allergies or are born with them. Many people, including the children in the aforementioned study, are prone to allergic reactions in their bronchial tubes to certain things they breathe in. Some people are born with the proclivity to have allergic reactions, while others appear to develop the proclivity as they get older. Naturally, if you have severe asthma, you are more likely to develop a cockroach allergy.
What Are the Health Consequences of Cockroaches?
Cockroach allergens behave similarly to
dust mite allergens and settle quickly. These allergens do not linger in the air for long. Vacuuming, for example, can stir up allergens that have settled in dust or fabrics. Breathing in dust that has accumulated in pillows, bedding, or other dust-trapping fabrics is the most common way to inhale cockroach allergen.
Who Is Exposed to Cockroach Allergens?
Cockroach allergen does not require the presence of cockroaches in your home. Cockroach allergen levels in dust and fabrics are high in one out of every five homes with no history of cockroach infestation.
Allergen concentrations are generally highest in kitchen areas, where cockroaches have plenty of food and water to eat. However, allergen concentrations in the bedroom may be more important. People spend more time in close contact with their pillows, where allergens that have settled in bedding can be inhaled.
People with limited resources are more likely to be exposed to and allergic to cockroach allergens, regardless of whether they live in a city or in the countryside.
Cockroach allergens: How Can They Be Removed?
Cockroach allergens are easily spread in homes, schools, and other public areas. Simple precautions can protect people who are allergic to cockroach allergens.
- Keep your home nice and clean - Keep food scraps away from the floor. Make a point of cleaning under large kitchen furniture (such as the stove and refrigerator), where food can become trapped
- Lower the humidity - Cockroaches and other pests thrive in damp indoor environments
- Target areas where cockroach allergens can congregate - Beds, carpets, furniture, and clothing are common problem areas. Once a week, encase mattresses and pillows and wash bedding in hot water. Remove any extraneous fabrics, such as curtains and upholstered furniture
- Remove any infestations - If the problem is severe, you may need to hire a professional, but you make sure they use Integrated Pest Management techniques
- Take out the carpeting. - In homes with allergic residents, carpeting should be replaced with smooth flooring. If this is not possible, regular carpet vacuuming (two to three times per week) may help to reduce allergen exposure. Vacuuming, on the other hand, can stir up dust and allergens in the carpet, temporarily worsening air quality. People with cockroach allergies should avoid vacuuming or being in the room while it is being cleaned
Remember that cockroaches are drawn to dark, humid, and warm areas of your home, such as kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, and storerooms. Pay attention to these primary areas when evicting these pests of the insect world, and you will at the very least minimize this dangerous allergic reaction. There are many more exciting things in life than asthma.
