Are House Flies a Health Hazard?

Houseflies are so commonly seen in and around the household. But, the fact that it is commonly seen does not imply that it is harmless! It might not sting you like other insects, but it silently carries dreadful diseases which many of us are not aware of. It is not just a nuisance which buzzes around and causes irritation. Most of the common diseases are caused by house flies. Some of these infections can be noxious.

Excerpt From The History!
Even from the sixteenth century, the house flies were known to be carriers of harmful diseases. Experimental benefits further confirmed the fact by the nineteenth century. Since then, the number of diseases recorded to be spread by houseflies has only increased. The Spanish-American war witnessed the death of over five thousand soldiers due to typhoid caused by flies. The very fact that only four thousand soldiers died due to war alone highlights how grave the situation was even back then.

How Do They Become Carriers Of Diseases?
Houseflies spread diseases which are easily transmutable. The female flies lay their eggs on decaying matters, garbage, faeces, corpses of animals and other decomposed organic matters. The flies feed on spoiled and decaying meat, eggs and fish. They also feed on the discharges coming from wounds or sores, faecal matter, sputum, and anything that is soiled or decayed. This eating habit of the flies makes them eminent carriers of diseases.

How They Carry The Germs
The germs causing diseases are carried by the houseflies on their tiny legs and also on the little hairs present all over their body. These germ particles get stuck in their hair or legs. It can also remain on their esophagus or pseudo tracheae. It will be flushed outside through their saliva when they feed on the next food which can be any exposed food you leave on your dining table. The pathogens are transferred to the food on any surface they sit within a matter of seconds.

Common Diseases They Cause
Flies can carry the germs of various fatal diseases that can be the cause of the death of millions of people all over the world. Some common diseases caused by house flies are dysentery, anthrax, typhoid, tuberculosis, salmonella, and cholera. It can even be the carriers of parasite worm eggs.

Take A Look At The Types Of Diseases Carried By Houseflies

House flies are associated with more than hundred disease-causing organisms called pathogens. House flies differ from its counterparts like ticks or mosquitos in the fact that they don’t need any insect vector to transmit diseases. The fly doesn’t play any role in the pathogen’s life cycle. It just acts as a carrier of the diseases. Researchers have estimated that house flies can carry more than 1,940,000 types of disease-causing bacteria.

Routes To Spread Diseases
House flies cause diseases through various routes. It won’t bite like a tsetse fly or horsefly. Neither does it sting like hornets or yellow jackets. It can spread the diseases just by sitting over an exposed food substance or a person. The pathogens stick to its body, hairs, legs, and mouth. It can be spread through its faeces and vomits.

Dose Of Pathogen
The dose of the pathogen causing various diseases can vary. Some fatal diseases can be caused by very few microbes themselves. The substance containing microbes or in some cases the microbes themselves stick to the body of the flies and get transmitted to our body through the exposed food we consume. If you do not refrigerate the food, the number of microbes in the contaminated food increases posing more danger to anyone who eats it. In the United States, the microbe Salmonella is often carried by house flies. It causes serious food poisoning.

Mechanical Spread Of Diseases
The house flies spread diseases mechanically. The microorganisms stick on their hairs and feet. Then they mechanically transmit it to your body. The pathogens that stick on their body is said to remain alive for as long as thirty-six hours! A common housefly body when examined was found to have cyst, ova, and pathogens.

Diarrhea
House flies often cause diarrhea. It is spread by bacteria like Enterococcus, E. coli, Campylobacter, and other similar pathogens. It is transmitted from the stools of those people who have diarrhoea.

Spread Of Diseases ByDrops
The house flies have a habit of vomiting repeatedly. They rest on food particles andover it. Thesedrops are filled with disease-causing bacteria. The infections spread bydrops remain alive for eight days.

Spread Of Diseases By Defecation
The houseflies also spread disease through their excreta. The excreta of houseflies contain ova, cysts, and microorganisms of various intestine parasites. The house flies have the habit of continuously defecating. Thus, they spread diseases through their excreta. The infection present inside their faeces will be alive for about eighteen days.

The Diseases Caused By Houseflies Is Big Trouble!

The house flies also spread diseases by rubbing their legs. The entire body of a housefly is covered up by bristles, including the padded feet and claws. The tongue of a house fly is coated with a sticky glue type substance. Hence, the flies keep rubbing their legs to make themselves clean. While they rub their legs, the materials stuck to their bristles are scraped off. These materials fall into any exposed food and thus infect anyone who eats that food.

Faeces- The Primary Source Of Diseases!
House flies can spread diseases within a matter of few seconds. One of the major sources of diseases is exposed faeces. It will be filled with harmful microbes, especially if it is that of an ill person. Developed nations have limited this disease spread to a great extent by the introduction of modern toilets. Still, soiled baby diapers that are left exposed can cause harmful diseases. Hence, make sure that you dispose off used baby diapers carefully always.

Parasite Diseases Caused By House Fly
The house flies can transmit parasite diseases through protozoa cysts like Giardia lamblia or Entamoeba histolytica. The helminth eggs like Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Hymenolepis nana also contribute.

Bacterial Diseases Caused By House Fly
House flies cause bacterial diseases like cholera, pyogenic cocci, typhoid, and dysentery. They are also the vectors of E.coli O157: H7, and Campylobacter using PCR. House fly can be observed for the presence of bacterial pathogens by making use of PCR and spot cards of filter paper.

Viruses Spread By House Fly
House flies spread enteroviruses like viral hepatitis (A and E), poliomyelitis, etc.

House Flies In Farms
House flies can also spread diseases in cattle farms. They cause the spread of Escherichia coli O157: H7 the animals in the farm. It spreads to their food supplies and eventually reaches the humans too. In a study conducted in a cattle farm at Kansas, the house flies infestation was collected and tested. All the batches of house flies collected from these farms contained E. coli O157: H7. Thirty percent of the houseflies tested positive was derived from flaked corn sheds. 90% of isolates indicated the presence of highly dangerous strains in their genes. Thus, the study proved that houseflies are carriers of E. coli O157: H7 in farms, especially in the summer seasons.

Better Be Safe Than Sorry!
The above article shows how dangerous a single house fly can be! Why take a risk with your health when you can ensure that the house flies stay away from your premises if you strictly maintain clean and tidy surroundings? Cleanliness is the key to get rid of house flies. Never leave food exposed in the open. Always secure your garbage bins with tight lids. If you notice house flies in your area, immediately resort to the house fly removal methods to stay safe and secure!