The management of urban pests involves the protection of people's
health, property, and food supplies by the pest control industry, the food industry, public health organizations,
and any number of other industries, organizations, and agencies. Post-harvest pest management reduces food losses
from the 40-50% levels present in developing nations to 9% in the U.S. Wood protection chemicals and
pest management help to protect building assets of 4 trillion dollars from damage by termites, fungi, andother
structural pests. Pest management of rodents, insects, and other other vectors and sources of disease protect
the health of the nation from rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, rabies, encelphalitis, LYme disease, histoplasmosis,
and a number of other pest-borne diseases. Of equal importance, but more difficult to document, is the effect of urban
pest management on the quality of life of humans, who are unwilling to share their food, work places, homes, and recreational
areas with insects and other pests. Pests that cause psychological stress, and social embarrassment, or simply make
a nuisance of themselves, are extremely important to people.
