If you work on a construction site, it may be more economical to pile up the debris that you have until you finish the job. Unfortunately, depending on the length of time the project takes, your debris may become more than an eyesore. Standing water, as well as hiding places for various rodents, can become the breeding ground for several infectious diseases,  By cleaning up as you go, you may avoid making your crew, as well as those around the job site, sick.

Mosquitoes Are More Than A Nuisance

There are not too many things in life that are more annoying than a mosquito buzzing around you when you are trying to work. Not only do you take a chance of being bitten, but you take a chance of contracting a disease when you allow debris to collect standing water. There are several diseases which can be caused by mosquitoes breeding in this area.

West Nile Virus - This disease has been spreading across the country for the last few years, and as recently as 2012, killed a total of 286 people. Many people who contract West Nile Virus exhibit no symptoms, and are often unaware that they have the disease.

Those who do exhibit symptoms may have a headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, as well as generalized aches and pains. Severe cases can result in encephalitis, or  meningitis, both of which result in inflammation of your brain. 

Chikungunya - This is a disease which has most commonly been found in the Caribbean, South America, or the Pacific Islands, and was only seen in the United States when brought back by travelers. This all changed in 2014, when a case was diagnosed in Florida in a non-traveler. 

Spread by infected mosquitoes, those affected by this disease will often exhibit symptoms 3-7 days after being bitten. Symptoms may include a fever, as well as pain in your joints. You may also experience a headache, rash, or swelling of your joints. At this time there is no treatment for this disease. Your doctor will advise you to stay hydrated and get plenty of rest.

Rats And Mice Are Not Cute

Although some people choose to keep rats, and/or mice as pets, when they are running around your construction site, you never know what they may be infected with. Not only is it dangerous to be scratched, or bitten by one, you can contract certain diseases by simply cleaning up after them.

Rat Bite Fever - This disease is also known as Haverhill fever. This can be a potentially serious disease; when not treated, it can be fatal. This is most commonly contracted by being bitten, or scratched by an infected rodent, but you can also get it from consuming food, or water, that has been contaminated by the bacteria Streptobacillus moniliformis.

Those who acquire rat bite fever will usually show symptoms within 3-10 days of being exposed to the bacteria. You may experience a fever, headache, vomiting, sore throat, rash, as well as joint and muscle pain.

Certain antibiotics have been shown to be effective in treating this condition. Without prompt treatment, the disease can cause an infection involving your heart, brain, or lungs. Although death is rare, you can be left with lingering symptoms.

Leptospirosis - If you think that you are safe, but you are having to move soil around the construction site, you may not realize that you could be exposed to leptospirosis. This disease is spread through the urine of infected animals. Once the urine gets into the soil, the disease can remain active for months. 

Unfortunately, if you are infected, the signs and symptoms you exhibit can easily be confused for many other diseases including the flu. If the disease goes untreated, the bacteria can cause damage to your liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain.

Symptoms include a high fever, chills, muscle aches, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and red eyes. Some people will also show signs of jaundice, and may exhibit a rash. Unlike other diseases, if you are infected, you may experience symptoms in two stages. You may get sick, then get better, and within a week or two, get sick again. Once correctly diagnosed, it can be treated with antibiotics.

Keep your construction site clean, and remove your extra debris with the help of companies like ESP Dumpsters & Waste Services. Although this will not guarantee that you will not have to deal with any of these diseases, proper clean up will greatly reduce your chances.