All posts in “Yellow Fever”

Pandemic – How close are we?

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Pandemic

Just what exactly is a Pandemic, according to Wikipedia – an epidemic of infectious disease that has spread through human populations across a large region; for instance multiple continents, or even worldwide. One of the most devastating pandemics was the Black Death, killing over 75 million people in 1350 caused by fleas carried by rats or gerbils (new information). Mosquitoes continue to kill over 1 million people each year and have killed more people than anything else.

pandemic

pandemic

I don’t want to be the doomsayer, but the World is a scary place these days. Maybe more scary than the days of duck and cover which I don’t think I ever did in school. We did have Fallout Shelters in our school and I recall them being stocked with food and water. I also need to stop watching those shows on TV like “How the World will End”. What scares me the most is the ability of some to get their hands on weapons, like the IED in Manchester? Is it possible to acquire something and infect mosquitoes and to then transmit it to humans. As Rodney King said “Can’t we all get along”? I’m trying hard to not get political and in this day when people don’t just have ideas but are willing to fight in an instant instead of debating the virtues of their opinion.

Are we the smartest?

We are the smartest on this planet and yet often times the most opinionated and less likely to concede that our thoughts could be wrong. How will it end? I don’t know but anything could spark that moment – a trigger on the bomb, someone with a pandemic and the ability to spread it or as

Abraham Lincoln said “…At what point, then, is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”

The Doomsday Clock is set to – two and a half minutes to midnight, the Clock is ticking, global danger looms.

World Pest Awareness Day

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World Pest Awareness Day

World Pest Awareness Day – June 6th, 2017. The goal is to create awareness with citizens all over the world. Pest managers provide protection for food, home, family, the environment in which they live, against public health risks. In agreement with the National Pest Management Association of the U.S..  NPMA joins the Federation of Asian & Oceania Pest Managements Association (FAOPMA), Chinese Pest Control Association and the Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA) in support of this event.

The video below brings home the need for public health pest control by comparing some fascinating statistics. In the opening sequence the audience is asked what do you think is the world’s deadliest creature? Sharks we are told kill 12 people a year, grizzly bears 90 people, crocodiles 800, hippos 29,000 people, snakes 90,000 people. But that tiny mosquito kills 2 million people. Mosquitoes are linked to water because that is where their young develop and that is also the best place to exterminate them. Mosquitoes are the vector (carrier) of several BAD diseases. They include Malaria, Yellow Fever, Encephalitis including West Nile virus and other equine, Zika virus, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and dog heartworm.

Diseases

Don’t forget that any blood feeder may spread disease, such as fleas and ticks. Bed bugs at this moment are not known to spread any diseases but more research is needed to verify. So please take precautions if traveling or hiking in areas where these pests can attack. Remember to also inspect your home for possible sightings and for possible entry points. Just a simple fix to a screen or doorway (IPM) might prevent pests from getting in and possibly hurting our family or colleagues. As always if you need help or assistance please give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/pdf/dvbd_factsheet.pdf

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr06dMFlRa4[/embedyt]

World Pest Awareness Day

 

Why worry about the pests?

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Throughout history we humans have done some terrible stuff to each other, wars only to mention one. But did you know that compared to all the wars ever fought the bugs have killed more of us.

  1. Yes number one the list is Mosquitoes, they have killed lots of humans and animals. Malaria, Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever are among the biggest threats to us still to this day.
  2. Fleas probably rank as number 2 and may have contributed to killing 1/3 of the people in Europe during 1340’s  known as Bubonic Plague, still with us today.
  3. My number 3 may not have killed as many as above but worldwide cause more damage to food, foodstuffs including grains and other type products. Rodents including mice and rats may spoil 1/3 of all grains worldwide and may directly lead to food shortages or starvation than any other insect or wildlife.

So yes I worry that as we progress as a society that we consider the wise use of pesticides. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is very useful within the confines of general pest management but there are reasons why pesticide use must continue. This article “Kissing Bug disease prompts growing concern in U.S.” shows that the concerns are justified. Here is Arizona we deal with Bark Scorpions and there is no magic bullet to stop them. The only method is home sealing and proper use of pesticides, so until that day arrives where we can target this critter I see no alternative than to spray them before they make it into our homes.

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