How Can a Cockroach Cause Death?
WouterA cockroach’s open circulatory system means it can survive long exposures to water. It also breathes through holes in its body segments and does not have a mouth. This means that it can survive a 30-minute submersion. However, this means that if a cockroach dies, it is likely to die very quickly because it will not be able to breathe again. A cockroach’s death is likely to be due to asphyxia, aspiration of gastric contents, and obstructing an airway.
Cockroaches are also known to carry and transmit a number of diseases. These diseases are spread through inhalation, digestion, and cross-contamination. Cockroaches can cause serious illness for humans and livestock. These diseases include Salmonella, Psudomonasa, and Listeriosis.
Cockroaches can also spread Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that causes bubonic plague. If a person contracts this disease, they need immediate treatment with antibiotics. They should begin treatment 24 hours after being infected. Bubonic plague is a potentially fatal disease. In the fourteenth century, the disease was responsible for 50 million deaths. In 2013, the World Health Organization reported 783 cases of bubonic plague and 126 deaths.
Cockroaches die for several reasons. First, they die because they lose control of their bodies. They are not able to hold their legs when they are dying, and their back muscles tuck beneath their bodies. This causes them to topple over when they are left with no support. Once this occurs, the cockroach will likely die on its side.
