Control of Insects and Rodents

Health Teaching
An insect is an arthropod with 3 pairs of legs. It belongs to
the phylum arthropoda and the class insecta. Insects are
both advantageous and disadvantageous to humans. We
need them in our life for various reasons. Here are some of
the advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
They help to maintain balanced insect population Insects
eat other insects. This is called predation. Predation and
parasitism helps to check insect population.
Insects attack plant weeds
They are involved in pollination of flowering plants
They produce honey and beeswax (Bees)
Insects are involved in the production of useful products such
as honey, beeswax, silk, shellac, dyes, and drugs.
Some insects are delicious food to humans
They are good laboratory animals in the study of human
diseases.
They are good decomposers and hence increase the fertility
of the soil.
Disadvantages:
They are annoyance to humans.
They are involved in mechanical and biological disease
transmission.
They destroy furniture and household appliances.
 Fleas- (Siphonaptera)

Fleasarethevehiclesofinfectionamongrodentsandhumans.Abouta
thousanddifferentspeciesoffleasarestudiedanddescribed.Thosethatcarry
diseasesaregreatconcerntothepublichealthpersonnel.Fleasliveuponthe
bloodofhumans,birdsandothermammals.

Fleashavepreferredanimalhosts,forinstancecats,dogs,rat,hens,bats,
rabbits,molesetc.,arehosttospecificfleas.Howeverattimesofunavailability
ofpreferredhost,thefleasjumptowhomevertheyfindintheirvicinity.They
havetodothisinordertosecurebloodmeals.Bothsexesfeedonblood.They
possessthepiercingsuckingtypeofmouthparts.
Control of fleas:
Avoidratsfromtheresidentialenvironmentbyapplicationofratcontrol
methods.
KeepDogscleanandavoidstraydogs
10%DDTdustand5%DDToilsol
Houseandcompoundsanitation-Becauseflealarvaefeedondebrisfoundat
groundlevel,beneatholdcarpets,orinfloorcracks,keepingsuchdebristoa
minimumindoorshelpstoreducetheirnumbers.

Bed Bugs (Cimicidae)

Bedbugsarereddish-brow,winglessinsects.Theirwingshavebeen
reducedtoinconspicuouspads.Thebodiesarebroadandflatenablingthem
tocreepintonarrowcrevices.Theirmouthpartsarepiercingsuckingtype;
thethoracicscentglandsproduceacharacteristicodor.

Theygainaccesstothehouseintravelingbags,onlaundryclothes,
furnitureandperson-to-personcontactsinbusesorathome.Infestationin
publicplacessuchastheatres,offices,hotels,etc.,isusuallyduetolow
personalandcommunityhygiene.Bedbuginfestationathomemaybe
detectedby:

1.Theirbite,
2.Theircharacteristicbuggyodor
3.Bloodandfecalstainsonsheets,alongcracksinthewalletc.


Control of bed bugs:

Usehotwatertokillbedbugs

Searchforallfurnitureandbedding
-Placeinfestedbeddingandclothingin
sunlight(ventilate)
- Repair/Maintainfurniture

Applyinsecticides
- Keepallpremisesingoodrepairand
conditionbeforeapplyinginsecticides.
Manyliquidinsecticidesanddustsare
effectiveinkillingbedbugs.

Checkforfurnitureinfestationbefore
transferringfromhousetohouse.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoesaresmall,midge-likefliesthatconstitutethefamilyCulicidae.
Femalesofmostspeciesareectoparasites,whosetube-likemouthparts
(calledaproboscis)piercethehosts'skintoconsumeblood.

1. Aedes Mosquitoes =transmitsyellowfeveranddenguefever.

.
3.Anopheles Mosquitoes =arevectorsofdiseasescalledmalaria
andfilariasis.

- Malariaisaseriousdiseaseandasignificanthealthproblemin
mosttropicalcountries.Itiscausedbyaprotozoanorganismcalled
plasmodiumwhichexistsinthebloodofpeoplesufferingfromthe
disease.
2.Cullex Mosquitoes =transmitsfilariasis.

Filariasisisaninfectioustropicaldiseasecausedbyanyoneof
severalthread-likeparasiticroundworms.
 Houseflies (muscidae)

Theyarecarriersofdiseasesandskinandeyeinfections.Thecommon
housefly,Muscadomestica,livesincloseassociationwithpeopleall
overtheworld.Theinsectsfeedonhumanfoodstuffsandwasteswhere
theycanpickupandtransportvariousdiseaseagents.

- Houseflies also breed in sewage

mud and solid organic waste in open
drains, cesspools (underground pools
for household sewage) and cesspits.

- Garbage provides the main medium

for breeding. It includes waste
associated with the preparation,
cooking and serving of food at home
and in public places, and with the
handling, storage and sale of food,
including fruits and vegetables, in
markets
Flies can spread diseases because they feed freely on human food
and filthy matter.Theflypicksupdisease-causingorganismswhile
crawlingandfeeding.Thosethatsticktotheoutsidesurfacesofthefly
maysurviveforonlyafewhours,butthosethatareingestedwiththe
foodmaysurviveintheflyscroporgutforseveraldays.Transmission
takesplacewhentheflymakescontactwithpeopleortheirfoodMostof
thediseasescanalsobecontractedmoredirectlythroughcontaminated
food,water,airhandsandperson-topersoncontact.
Rodents and Disease:
 Rats and mice are most destructive
animals. They are responsible for the
transmission of such diseases as:
1.
Salmonellosis It is a food poisoning disease that causes
diarrhea and dysentery. The disease is spread in several ways,
one being the feces of rats containing the infective bacteria.

2. Leptospirosis (Hemorrhagic jaundice) This disease is

transmitted to man by contaminated water supplies with infected
urine of rodents. Direct contact with the infected rodents can also
produce the disease. The spirochetes may enter through mucous
membranes, cuts, and abrasions of the skin.

3. Murine typhus fever It is transmitted from rat, the

reservoir of the disease, to man by the rat flea. The rickettsia
organisms that cause murine typhus fever enters the human
blood stream when feces of infected fleas are rubbed or
scratched into the flea bite wound or broken skin.
5. Trichinosis The rat serves as a reservoir of the
disease. Man gets the disease indirectly by eating raw pig
that, in turn, has eaten infected carcasses of rats.

6. Rickettsial pox The infection is transmitted from the

house mouse to man by the bite of the mite, which the
house mouse harbors. The rickettsial pox is a mild non-fatal
disease, which resembles chickenpox.

7. Rat bites Rats have a painful bite. It leaves an ugly

scar when it heals. Secondary infections are also common
after a rat bite. People may develop rate bite fever. Death
due to rat bites occurs very rarely.
STEPS TO RODENT CONTROL
Roof rat survival depends upon the existence of 3 basic
environmental factors: (1) Food, (2) Water, and (3) Harborage.

STEP 1: Eliminate Food and Water

Remove all potential sources of food from the premises, such
as bird seed left out for birds. Routinely harvest ripe fruit and
pick up all fruit that has fallen to the ground.
Avoid storing food in garages and storage sheds unless it is in
rat-proof covered metal containers.
Keep trash cans closed at all time with tightly fitted lids.

STEP 2: Destroy Rats

Rats should be snap trapped if they are inside a residence or
building. Place traps near nesting areas or where rats are likely
to hide. Do not place traps where children or pets will disturb
or be harmed by them. Remember, snap traps are very
DANGEROUS!
Poisoning with baits indoors is NOT recommended because a
rat may die inside the structure and create an odor and fly
problem. Poison baits may be used when following
recommended guidelines.
STEP 3: Eliminate Shelter & Harborage
Close all openings larger than inch to exclude rats and
mice.
Repair or replace damaged vent screens.
Remove all trash and debris.
Remove heavy vegetation away from buildings and
fences.
Thin vegetation to allow daylight in and remove rat hiding
places.
THE