REDUCTION OF COCKROACH DENSITY AND SPREADING IN BENHA UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS (EGYPT) IN THE YEAR 2019 COMPARED WITH THE YEAR 2014

Cockroaches cause a public health-problem associated with human wastes and disease pathogens. In the present study, the distribution of cockroach populations was evaluated in different places at Benha University Hospitals in the years 2014 and 2019 by using sticky paper traps. The German cockroach “Blattella germanica” was the most prevalence species captured (84.4%), followed by the American cockroach “Periplaneta americana (14.6%)”, and the brown cockroach “Periplaneta brunnea (0.99%)”. The German and American cockroaches were found in all areas of the hospitals, while the brown cockroaches were only caught in the kitchen, outpatient clinics, and medical supply storages of the hospitals. The population density of cockroaches in the hospitals recorded a higher number of cockroaches/10 m2 (94.7±11.1) and the infestation rate (30.9%) in kitchens compared to other places in 2014; while the highest number of cockroaches/10 m2 (21.6±0.2) and the infestation rate (43.0%) were recorded in outpatient clinics compared to other places in 2019. The results also showed a very significant correlation between the cockroach population density and the temperature (R = 0.897, P = 0.006); but it was inversely correlated with relative humidity (R = -0.433, P = 0.332) in 2014; while in 2019 a non-significant positive correlation was observed between population density and both the temperature and the relative humidity. It was clear that the cockroach population density was reduced in 2019 compared to 2014 (F = 54.17, P < 0.01), possibly due to application of various mechanisms to control cockroaches besides raising hygiene level in the hospitals.