Presence of Pathogenic Microorganisms in German Cockroach (Blattella germanica) Infested Residential Homes in Rural North Carolina

German cockroach, Blattella germanica, has been associated with the spread of pathogenic microorganisms including fungi, viruses and bacteria. Their filthy habits and indiscriminate movement between unsanitary places and food would predispose them as possible vectors of human pathogens. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential risk of spread of pathogenic microorganisms by the German cockroach in residential homes. Cockroaches and settled dust samples were collected from kitchen and living rooms in nine manufactured/mobile homes in Franklin County, NC. Samples were analyzed using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The universal bacterial 16s rRNA gene (target gene) was amplified in (88.9%) of the samples. Subsequently, sequencing and phylogenic analysis will be performed to categorize the microbial strains. Cockroaches represent an important reservoir for pathogenic microbes therefore its control will mitigate the spread of diseases to humans and the environment.