Guest Blog: Pest Control Management's Role in Protecting Public Health

By Nancy Hinkle, University of Georgia entomology professor

Pest management professionals, or PMPs, are considered “guardians of your environment,” according to the logo of the National Pest Management Association, a group “committed to the protection of public health, food and property.” It has long been recognized that suppression of pests in the living environment is essential to both physical and mental health. Elimination of arthropods from our homes is one hallmark of the developed world, allowing a standard of living and a level of health not enjoyed in less advanced countries.

Asthma accounts for more than14 million lost work days annually; it also accounts for more than 14 million lost school days for children suffering from asthma. The economic impact of such losses can hardly be assessed, but is estimated at more than $56 billion annually. Cockroaches and other arthropods are known to be major triggers for allergy, so cockroach suppression is an essential component of asthma control for susceptible individuals. 

Mosquitoes, certainly, are one of the most significant vectors of human disease agents on the planet, transmitting causative agents of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue, West Nile Virus and encephalitis. PMPs can save lives and prevent severe illness by preventing mosquito breeding around homes.

Other biting pests such as fleas, while not major human disease vectors, nevertheless make people miserable. Some people respond to flea bites with severe itching and wheals. Similarly, though bed bugs do not transmit pathogens, their bites can create severe itching. Scratching may lead to secondary infections and further injury.

Due to their size and mobility, insects are particularly suitable for carrying pathogens, moving from filth to food. House flies can carry bacteria, viruses, worm eggs and other disease agents on their bodies, depositing them on our food when they land and walk around. Pharaoh ants constitute an infection hazard in hospitals, having been found contaminating sterile supplies and intravenous sets. Cockroaches, similarly, can move food-poison organisms from dirty areas to clean materials – such as our dinnerware.

Stinging arthropods (such as bees, hornets, wasps, ants, urticating caterpillars, and scorpions) also present a threat to humans. Venom injected into human flesh can produce pain and swelling, or even more severe systemic effects such as nausea and anaphylaxis in susceptible individuals. 

PMPs employ their education and training with highly developed investigative skills to determine what is causing the problem and then to develop strategies for solving the problem. Pest identification is always the first step; knowing the target species provides insights on behavior and biology to use against the pest.

By providing essential public health services, PMPs protect human health and personal comfort. Here in North America, we take this for granted, assuming that no one should have to tolerate pests in their living environment.

The industry that provides this essential service should be proud of the role it plays in preserving public health. Individuals performing pest suppression should recognize the significant contribution they make to their customers’ wellbeing. Pest control is not an indulgence; it is one component of protecting families from discomfort and disease.