Jakarta (ANTARA) – Recent research has revealed that cockroaches are not only disgusting animals for some people, but can make the air in your home full of allergens and bacterial toxins that trigger allergies and even asthma.
The research, conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University, was conducted by visiting an apartment complex in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (USA), which often housed cockroaches.
The researchers took dust samples from the studied apartments based on two categories, namely residences that received professional pest control treatment and residences that were left untreated.
The results showed that in homes where cockroaches were successfully eradicated, the levels of allergens and endotoxins or natural poisons released when the bacteria die and their cell walls are destroyed dropped significantly within a few months.
Meanwhile, in homes that did not receive treatment, allergen and endotoxin levels remained elevated throughout the study, according to the findings of research published in the journal “The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global.”
“Endotoxins are important for human health, because inhaling these components has been shown to trigger an allergic response,” said Professor Coby Schal, the entomologist who led the research, as reported by Science Daily.
Schal added that reducing cockroach numbers alone is not enough because as long as there are live cockroaches, they will continue to leave behind new allergens and toxins.
“The small number of cockroaches that remain can still produce many allergens, so the important thing is to completely eliminate them all,” he said.
Interestingly, this study found that female cockroaches produce almost twice as much endotoxin as male cockroaches. This happens because female cockroaches eat more than males, so more endotoxin is released from their feces.
Another researcher involved in the study, Madhavi Kakumanu, said that cockroach venom is not only found in dust or left on the surface of objects, but can also become airborne so that it can be inhaled by humans.
He also added that kitchens usually contain more endotoxins than bedrooms because they provide an abundant food source for cockroaches.
In the future, the research team plans to continue this research to understand how the interaction between cockroach allergens and endotoxins can influence asthma.
“There is an implication that asthma may worsen due to interactions between allergens and endotoxins,” Schal said.
Read also: Effective tips to get rid of cockroaches in your home without dangerous chemicals
Read also: 5 effective plants to eliminate cockroaches at home naturally
Read also: How to prevent cockroaches from entering your home
Reporter: Melusa Susthira Khalida
Publisher: Alviansyah Pasaribu
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