Analysis of Cockroach Fauna and Frequency in Human Residential Habitats of North of Isfahan, Iran

Aims Considering the medical significance of cockroaches as insect vectors of food toxicities,and triggering allergy in respiratory system and skin, this survey was conducted to study thefrequency of infestation and their effective factors in Shahin Shahr, Iran.Materials & Methods This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in 2010 inShahin Shahr, Isfahan, Iran. Data gathering instrument was a researcher-made questionnaireregarding to the research aims. Data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software using Chi square andFisher exact tests.Findings 675 of 1000 studied houses (67.5%) were infested by all life stages ofthe cockroaches and 32.5% had no infestation. 46% of infested houses had few,30% had medium and 24% had high infestation. the bathrooms and toilets wererecognized as the most infested places (41%). There were significant relationshipsbetween infestation of houses and the age of building (p<0.001), the type of building(p=0.009) and the education level of the family (p<0.001). Significant differencewas found between houses equipped their doors and windows by tulles and withouttulles (p=0.03). Most infection was found in houses sheltering 5 and more people(72.3%). Significant correlation was found between the infection and the number offamily members (p=0.0012).Conclusion Infestation rate of cockroaches in Shahin Shahr houses is high and is mostly ofP. americana species.

Keywords:

Cockroaches , Parasitic Diseases , Insect Vectors , Cross-Sectional