Overview of the public health implications of cockroaches and their management

Abstract

The Nitbusters program is a NSW Health initiative to reduce the prevalence of headlice in the community. The project, developed in consultation with the NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations and the NSW Department of Education and Training, educates school children and parents about headlice and how to screen for and treat them as a community. The program is aimed not at eradicating headlice but at identifying and managing infestations. Nitbusters tries to educate communities through schools about the most effective ways to reduce populations of headlice by encouraging school 'Nitbuster days'. These days are coordinated by parent volunteers, who use a fine-toothed nit comb and white hair conditioner to both screen for and treat headlice. As most parents realise, eliminating headlice completely is probably-for the moment at least-not realistic. However, learning a safe and effective and simple method of removing headlice can make the management of infestations a little easier. Nitbusters recommends that all families regularly practise this method of treatment. Keep a good quality nit comb in the shower and train children to use it every time they wash their hair, even if their heads are not itchy. The Nitbusters program has held demonstration training days in a number of primary schools across New South Wales. Neighbouring schools were invited to attend these days and learn how to coordinate their own Nitbuster day. Data is available from some of those demonstration schools. Over 3,000 primary school children have been screened. Of those screened, more than 24 per cent had infestations of headlice. This is similar to both Victoria and Queensland, where more than 20 per cent of primary school children have been reported to have headlice. Information on headlice, and the Nitbusters program, including how to run a Nitbuster day, is available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/headlice.

Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattidae) Infestation and their Perceived Importance in some Hospitals and Restaurants in Makurdi, Nigeria

“…Years of difficulty in controlling cockroach infestations in large establishments with continuous availability of food materials have led to the application of large quantities of various insecticides over long periods. This has resulted in significant resistance to insecticides in many cockroach populations (Hamman and Gold, 2002;Miller and Peter, 2004).…”

Artropofauna De Una Cueva De Calor De Una Reserva Ecológica De Villa Clara, Cuba

“…En febrero de 2016, se realizó una inspección a la cueva de calor, donde se constató que la o temperatura de aire en el exterior fue de 27,5 C, y con un psicrómetro de aspiración fue determinada la humedad relativa del aire (HR) de 70%. En la e integumento por varios días o semanas (Benenson, 1985;Iannacone et al, 1999;Gliniewicz et al, 2003;Mille & Peters, 2004;Ponce et al, 2005). Byrsotria fumigata es una especie de insecto que está confinada a la región occidental de Cuba, y a la región central en los mogotes de Jumagua, Villa Clara, Cuba (Gutiérrez & Linares, 2003).…”

“…Se consideran como un grupo sinantrópico, debido a la estrecha relación existente con el hombre, la cual data desde que este último habitaba las cavernas (Harwood & James, 1993;Gliniewicz et al, 2003;Mallis, 2004). Actualmente se conocen cerca de 3.500 especies, siendo la mayoría de regiones tropicales (Fernández et al 2001;Mille & Peters 2004;Ponce et al 2005); representan una plaga de prácticas nocturnas y una alimentación de tipo omnívora, que operan como vectores naturales en las casas; acarreando gérmenes patógenos que logran perdurar viables en su heces, tubo digestivo…”

Body-weight gains in Blaberus craniifer cockroaches and the intensity of their infection with gregarines and nematodes

“…Cockroaches are a significant component of entomofauna, which has adapted to various environmental conditions (Bell et al, 2007). Most of them are decomposers that feed on decaying organic matter, and some have adapted to life with people and are synanthropic (Mille & Peters, 2004;Gore & Schal, 2007;Mikaelyan et al, 2016;Parhomenko et al, 2022).…”