Controlling Public Health Pests
When a pest is capable of spreading human disease(s) or otherwise impacting human health, controlling that pest becomes a community concern. The risks associated with pest control tactics must be weighed against the risks to human health if the pest is not controlled. Those risks can include:
- Disease (i.e. tick-borne and/or mosquito-borne diseases,)
- Injurious bites or stings (i.e. fire ants)
- Respiratory irritation (i.e. cockroach litter)
To learn about public health pests, their potential impacts on human health, and pest control tactics, click on one of the headings below.
Please read our disclaimer.
- Ants
- Bed Bugs
- Fleas
- Germs and Other Microbes
- Influenza A Viruses (H1N1, Avian Flu)
- Lice
- Mold
- Mosquitoes (West Nile virus, malaria and other vector-borne diseases)
- MRSA Infection
- Roaches
- Rodents (Rats, Mice, Voles etc.)
- Snakes
- Spiders
- Ticks (Lyme Disease)
Don't see your pest? Try the nuisance pests or consider contacting your local university cooperative extension service. You might also try visiting their pest control fact sheets by clicking here.
Official List of Public Health Pests - EPA Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice 2002-1
Ticks (Lyme Disease)
- Stop Ticks - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- Lyme Disease Prevention and Control - CDC
- Tick Biology for the Homeowner - Cornell University
- Taking Care of Fleas and Ticks on your Pet - US Environmental Protection Agency
- Integrated Pest Management Manual - National Park Service
- Tick Bite Prevention & Repellent Use - Connecticut Ag. Experiment Station
- Tick Management Handbook - Connecticut Ag. Experiment Station
- Choosing and Using Insect Repellents - NPIC
Mold
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home - US EPA (Available in Spanish)
- Should You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned? - US EPA
- Mold Resources - US Environmental Protection Agency
- Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings - US EPA
- Mold - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- Mold Cleanup and Remediation - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- Mold Basic Facts - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- Dealing with MOLD Using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Germs and Other Microbes
- Selecting an Appropriate Sanitizer - National Health & Safety Performance Standards
- Cleaning up Body Fluids - National Health & Safety Performance Standards
- Disinfection and Operation of Pools & Spas - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- Healthy Swimming - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- Bloodborne Pathogens - Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)
- Household Cleaning - University of Nebraska- Lincoln
- Cleaning Up Antimicrobial Hand Soaps - Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
- What Are Antimicrobial Pesticides? - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Selected EPA-registered Disinfectants - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Influenza A Viruses (H1N1, Avian Flu)
- Know What to Do About the Flu - U. S. Department of Health & Human Services
- 2009 H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- Antimicrobial Products Registered for Use Against the H1N1 Flu and Other Influenza A Viruses on Hard Surfaces - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- H1N1 Flu Clinical and Public Health Guidance - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- Products Registered with Claims to Control Avian Flu - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- What Individuals & Families Can Do About the Flu - U. S. Department of Health & Human Services
- Label Guidance for Antimicrobial Pesticides Used Against Avian Influenza A - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Disinfecting Poultry (and other) Facilities Against Avian (Bird) Flu - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- What Are Antimicrobial Pesticides? - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Selected EPA-registered Disinfectants - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
MRSA Infection
- Overview of Community-Associated MRSA - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- Questions & Answers for the Public - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
- MRSA Fact Sheet - North Carolina Department of Public Health
Spiders
- The Spider Myths Site - University of Washington
- Spiders and other Arachnids - University of California Riverside
- Spiders In and Around the House - Ohio State University Extension
Ants
- Carpenter Ants: Home and Landscape - University of California Statewide IPM Program
- Carpenter Ants - University of Kentucky
- Fire Ants - Texas A&M University
- Ants - University of California Statewide IPM Program
