Mice and Allergies
Wild Animals
Pest Prevention Tip of the Month
Encephalitis in NYC
Your Questions Answered
Roaches Ground Plane
Safety Corner

Mice and Allergies

A few years ago the New England Journal of Medicine reported that cockroaches are a major cause of allergies. This is especially true for inner-city children living in cockroach-infested homes and apartments. Now the latest discovery is that house mice also are a major cause of asthma and allergic rhinitis in susceptible individuals in inner-city homes.

The research was first presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in March of this year (1999). Nearly 2,000 dust samples were collected from the homes of asthmatic children in eight major cities. Mouse allergen was detected in 95% of the homes. In skin puncture tests, 18% of the children were sensitive to rats.

These findings show that mice problems are widespread, and are one common cause of allergic reactions. Multi-family housing complexes are especially susceptible to chronic mouse problems, but mice just as easily invade single-family homes, workplaces, restaurants, schools, and health care facilities.

In the study, the highest level of mouse allergens was found in kitchens. The major allergens come from mouse urine. Mice deposit their urine often because they use it to communicate with other mice, similar to the way dogs use urine to mark their territories.

Of course, getting rid of mice (or cockroaches) may not end all of your allergy problems, but it now looks like it is an important step to take.

back to top

Wild Animals?

Sighting wild animals in your yard can be exciting and many people even encourage their visits. But animals can become big problems. If raccoons or other animals are tipping over your garbage containers, knocking over your potted plants, digging holes in your lawn deck or foundation to find a suitable nesting spot, or gnawing into your attic, all of a sudden these cute creatures become nasty "invaders."

Many animals tend to become serious problems in and around homes because there are few or no natural predators that normally keep their populations in check. Without some kind of control, a population can become too large, and then the animals become even more destructive as they compete against each other for food and shelter.

You may not notice the damage at first. For instance, squirrels sometimes gnaw electrical wiring or tear up building insulation to get nesting material. Wild animals can also cause health problems. They may bring with them fleas, ticks, mites, and even lice, which may start biting humans or pets. They are also carriers of roundworms, and various microorganisms that can cause disease. The virus that causes rabies, of course, is always a threat. Wild animals most likely to have rabies are skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes.

If you have any problems with animal pests, call Stanley Pest Control--we have the special expertise to handle all kinds of wild animal problems safely and humanely.

back to top

If you have problems with dogs or wild animals tipping over garbage cans and making the contents accessible to rodents, try bracing the can so that it can't be tipped over, and keeping the lid on with a bungee cord or chain, or putting a heavy object on top.

There had never been a case of it in New York City, but starting in late August, mosquito-transmitted encephalitis struck 92 people, killing five. Encephalitis is a fairly rare disease, striking only about two dozen people a year. It causes a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain. Children and the elderly are at greatest risk of the disease because their immune systems are not strong.

At first the recent outbreak was believed to be St. Louis encephalitis, but now the Centers for Disease Control have reclassified it as a West Nite-Like encephalitis, a variety that has never before been found in the Western Hemisphere. People contract the virus from mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds.

Q. How widespread are food-borne illnesses?
A. According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tainted food sickens 78 million Americans each year, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. The vast majority of food poisoning cases involves only vomiting and diarrhea, which most people do not report to their doctor.

A. Food-borne bacteria, viruses and parasites are the most common causes of food poisoning. The primary known offenders are bacteria campylobacter (in contaminated, undercooked chicken), salmonella (in contaminated, undercooked eggs and many other foods), and the Norwalk-like viruses (in shellfish, and can also be transmitted to food by unwashed hands). But the vast majority of food-borne illnesses is of unknown origins.

According to the report, people should not be unduly alarmed by food poisoning, but should take measures to reduce their risk. That includes washing hands, proper cleaning of food, utensils and countertops, keeping raw meats separated from prepared foods, thorough cooking, and proper chilling to retard the growth of microbes. Proper pest prevention, of course, is very important, because pests carry a wide variety of germs and can transmit them as they walk on food, utensils, and food preparation surfaces.

Roaches Ground Plane

Although commercial airlines take pest prevention very seriously, pests sometimes inevitably sneak onto a plane. Last year a Delta Air Lines flight scheduled to fly from Atlanta to San Francisco was grounded when a passenger and crew members spotted cockroaches "loitering" near the plane's food service area. The passengers were switched to another plane after the pilot refused to fly that aircraft.

The Delta spokeswoman was quoted as saying, "You thought the Year 2000 Bug was bad? Let me tell you . . . !"

back to top

Challenge Yourself and Friends with These!

What do cats and cockroaches have in common?
What live insects are now being sold in vending machines?
Invented a "better mousetrap" lately? How many patents for mousetraps has the U.S. Patent Office issued?
How many droppings a day does one mouse produce?

Answers to Pest Trivia!

Both are affected by catnip, only in very different ways. The active ingredient that drives cats wild in catnip is nepetalactone. This same compound, in a pure form, was recently found to be a good cockroach repellent. Catnip leaves, though, are not strong enough to have any effect on roaches.
The Japanese have begun using vending machines to sell pet beetles. The large stag beetles can be sold live because eager kids usually snap them up as soon as the machines are filled.
4,400 mousetrap patents have been issued since the 19th Century.
From about 40 to up to 100 daily; rats leave 40 to 50.

Safety Corner

A residential fire occurs every 78 seconds, and most of these fires occur during the winter months. Remember to watch for potential fire hazards at home and work, such as frayed electrical cords, space heaters near draperies, bedding, or other flammable items, children playing with matches and smoking in bed.

Fires are also started by unattended large Christmas tree lights on dry trees, and unattended candles and open fireplaces. Also, a certain number of fires of "unknown origin" are started by mice gnawing on wires or mice building nests of flammable materials.

back to top