"Harm" - what is it, definition of the term
«Harm» denotes any negative impact on biological organisms resulting from exposure to ectoparasites such as ticks, bugs, lice, and fleas; it includes tissue injury, blood loss, allergic reactions, and the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms that compromise health.
Detailed information
Ticks, bugs, lice and fleas are hematophagous ectoparasites that attach to the skin of mammals and birds. Their mouthparts pierce the epidermis, causing localized inflammation, itching and secondary bacterial infection. Repeated feeding can lead to anemia, especially in young or debilitated hosts.
The primary source of adverse health effects stems from pathogen transmission. Ticks vector bacteria such as Borrelia spp., causing Lyme disease, and protozoa like Babesia spp. Bugs, including bed‑bugs (Cimex lectularius), may carry Trypanosoma cruzi under certain conditions. Lice are known carriers of Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus, while fleas transmit Yersinia pestis, responsible for plague, and Rickettsia typhi, which causes murine typhus.
Economic and public‑health burdens arise from medical treatment costs, loss of productivity and control program expenses. Infestations in livestock reduce weight gain and milk yield; in domestic settings, they generate substantial expenditures for extermination services and replacement of contaminated materials.
Effective mitigation relies on integrated strategies:
- Regular inspection and removal of attached parasites using fine‑toothed combs or tweezers.
- Application of approved topical acaricides or insecticides, rotated to prevent resistance.
- Environmental sanitation, including frequent laundering of bedding and vacuuming of carpets.
- Wildlife management to limit reservoir hosts, such as rodents for fleas and deer for ticks.
- Public education campaigns that emphasize early detection and prompt treatment.
Monitoring programs that track infestation rates and pathogen prevalence support timely intervention and reduce the overall negative impact on human and animal populations.