Houseflies – How Do They Spread Deadly Diseases?

Houseflies are most common among insects and widespread in the world. They can cause major health hazards. Have you ever wondered why these house flies land on us? This is because they are always in search of a warm place to get their favourite food. From humans and animals, they feed themselves the faeces, rotting flesh, salt, dead skin etc.

Houseflies are not only annoying but also very dangerous. Compared to other pests, these are a huge threat to people and businesses, especially food-related. They can spread a wide range of diseases since they carry germs of several deadly diseases. Hence it becomes necessary to take preventive measures to save everyone’s health.

If you are looking for control measures in the Manchester area, to get quicker responses and long-term solutions, give a call to pest control Manchester who will take care of everything for you. They follow B.P.C.A standard and have experience of more than three decades in this field.

How Do They Transmit?

They don’t have the facility to bite or chew their food hence release saliva and digestive juices on food, which means they vomit their stomach contents onto the food and use the straw-like tongues to suck up their food.

Since these flies love rotten matters and faeces, bacteria in these materials accumulate pathogens in their digestive system. When they regurgitate, the pathogens get transmitted to the material they feed on and similarly the pathogens in their digestive system are transmitted when they leave their faeces on the material.

Houseflies have tiny hair all over their body and legs. They can carry bacteria on these tiny hairs. You might have seen them rubbing their legs together. Why do they do so? They are cleaning their legs and body. When they clean themselves, the scraps that are attached to these hairs drop on the food and contaminate it.

How Do You Get Infected?

Commonly, people get infected when they consume food that is contaminated by flies. Even if you use utensils on which flies have regurgitated, defecated, or even landed, pathogens easily get transmitted.

Diseases Spread by Them

Unlike the other kind of insects, these flies are indirect vectors of diseases. According to WHO, houseflies are the main carriers of diarrhoeal diseases, skin, and eye infections. But they can spread more than 65 diseases. Typhoid, cholera, tuberculosis, gastroenteritis, and salmonellosis are the commonly spread diseases.

Preventing Tips

By taking some proactive steps you can control house flies’ presence in your premises and prevent the spread of diseases.

Follow proper food hygiene practices. Keep all ingredients in airtight containers and wash them thoroughly before use. Keep your house, especially the kitchen, clean and hygienic. Since houseflies can accumulate on garbage, animal sheds, excrements etc., eliminating these will help prevent them entirely.

How to Eliminate Them?

A basic and easy tool is the fly swatter. As and when you see them, swat them to kill. If you are facing a large number of flies, sprays or electric units that attract them to kill will help. For a most efficient and proactive way of eliminating them seek the help of professional pest control services.