Study on the German cockroach Blattella germanica (L) and identify the types of parasites that it transmits automatically on the surface of its external body and inside its intestines.

This study was conducted on German cockroaches, identifying the types of parasites they mechanically transmit via their external body surfaces and the parasites present in their intestines that they transmit to humans. The study was conducted in Tikrit. 150 German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) were collected, comprising 63 males (49 adults and 15 immature) and 87 females (69 adults and 18 immature). The collection process was carried out from various locations, including rooms in homes, bathrooms, and sewers. It was observed that most cockroaches carried parasites, either on their external body surfaces or within their intestines, at a rate exceeding 89%. Parasites were isolated and their types identified, revealing that the internal parasites transmitted by these cockroaches were more numerous than those on their external bodies. The study also found that cockroaches collected from bathrooms had higher parasite loads than those collected from other locations.