Did you know that right now under your feet there may well be a whole colony of creatures whose appearance could inspire Stephen King to write a new masterpiece of horror. Despite their repulsive appearance, these amazing creatures are so tiny that only a powerful microscope can see them. Especially for those who do not have one, I have prepared a selection of incredible organisms that you have never seen before.
If you suddenly feel lonely, remember: saprophytes are always nearby
What pests live in your carpet and how to deal with them
Carpets create warmth and comfort in the apartment, but when choosing such a floor covering, be prepared to take proper care of it. Regular cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, even daily, is not enough to remove deeply ingrained dirt and dust from the pile. Over time, it becomes a hospitable home for many uninvited guests that you don’t even know about.
An expert from a cleaning company told us who lives in your carpet and how to get rid of unpleasant neighbors.
Dust mites
In carpets, especially with long pile, a huge amount of dust accumulates, in which dermatophagoides dust mites grow. Our apartments are simply a gastronomic paradise for them: microscopic parasites feed on dead flakes of human skin that settle in the carpets.
Everything would be fine, dust mites would live for themselves and eat up the dead cells of the household, but the problem is that these creatures produce 200 times their own weight in excrement over the course of their entire lives. They, along with their toxic waste products, end up in the air we breathe. This causes sneezing, coughing, dizziness and other allergic reactions, which is especially dangerous for children. Due to constant contact with dust mites, immunity can decrease and a full-fledged allergy can develop.
Fighting dust mites on your own is difficult, but it is possible. The problem is that they reproduce very quickly - they lay about 300 eggs in four months. The population density in such a large colony is about 100 thousand microparasites per square meter of carpet. To get rid of ticks and their offspring, you need to ventilate rooms with carpets daily, regularly knock them out outdoors, and even use an ultraviolet lamp.
Mold
Another very unpleasant and dangerous inhabitant of carpets is mold. It starts up when there is high humidity, for example, if your neighbors have flooded you or you have not completely dried the carpet, the pile has dried out, but the base remains wet.
It only takes one to two days for this fungus to grow in a damp environment. Its appearance will not go unnoticed: mold emits an unpleasant musty smell. Numerous spores get into the air and scatter throughout the apartment; in addition, breathing them is dangerous to health and can weaken the immune defense, so you need to get rid of it immediately.
It is better to take a carpet affected by mold outside and remove it with a stiff brush. Then the area should be treated with a special anti-mold agent, which is sold in household chemical stores, or use folk remedies, such as a soda solution. After treatment, the carpet must be thoroughly washed on both sides and dried thoroughly, and the room where it lay will still need to be ventilated for several days to get rid of all remaining spores.
Fleas
Common fleas live in carpets with great comfort. Unlike mold, they prefer drier places, and in a humid environment they only leave offspring. Such a neighborhood is very dangerous and unpleasant, because these parasites happily drink human blood. Through a bite, a flea can infect a person with various parasites, cause itching, dermatitis, and even transmit dangerous diseases, including the bubonic plague.
Removing fleas from a pet is much easier than removing them from a carpet. A vacuum cleaner won’t help much here, and if you don’t throw out the dust collector immediately after cleaning, the jumping parasites will quickly return back to fluffy paradise.
Home methods for fighting carpet fleas are very harsh: you will either have to use toxic chemicals, such as dichlorvos or another insect repellent, or use a folk recipe and make an infusion of tansy and wormwood.
Carpet beetle
Other insects, such as carpet beetles, can also live in carpets. They usually get into our houses from the street, crawl in the summer through open windows, or the owners themselves bring them in with their things. They especially like fur and fleecy items; they also live in furniture and books.
Carpet beetles are very tenacious, they thrive both in cold and damp rooms, such as basements, and in hot, sunny living rooms. Not only beetles, but also their larvae live in carpets; they pose a great danger. They love to eat wool products, and if they get to the closet, they will feast on your fur coats and leather goods. Carpet beetles pose a real danger to people; they carry many harmful microorganisms and worm eggs, which can infect a person when bitten.
Fighting carpet beetles and their larvae at home will require a lot of effort and perseverance; it will be long and tedious. You will have to disinfest not only the affected carpet, but the entire room, since the larvae quickly spread and hide behind baseboards, under furniture and in other dark places.
In addition, you will have to vacuum the carpets 1-2 times a day until you get rid of uninvited guests. Instead of insecticides, you can use a solution of boric acid; it is not toxic to people and pets, but has a bleaching effect and can leave marks on dark things and surfaces.
Pathogenic bacteria
Even with regular vacuuming, carpets contain a huge number of pathogenic bacteria. Scientists have found a wide variety of microorganisms in home carpets - from E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus to pneumonia pathogens.
You walked on the carpet once in street shoes, and now all the variety of microorganisms that you brought from the street on your soles have already settled in it. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to completely disinfect a carpet at home, even if you use household chemicals for cleaning: it simply does not penetrate deep enough to destroy all bacteria.
To prevent all these unpleasant neighbors from settling in your carpet, you need to regularly care for it. Of course, you can use home cleaning methods, but they may not completely solve the problem, and the insects, mold and mites will keep coming back. To avoid such troubles, we recommend having your carpets dry cleaned at least once a year.
Only professional products can penetrate deeply into the carpet, remove dust and dirt, fungal spores, eggs and insect larvae, and also disinfect it. Nowadays there are dry cleaning services with delivery, so you don’t have to carry the carpets yourself, you just need to roll them up and hand them over to the courier.
Not only the inhabitants of carpets, but also hundreds of other reasons can cause the most unexpected diseases in people, which they did not even suspect before.
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Some information about moths
The moth found in apartments and private houses is a representative of the order Lepidoptera. The inconspicuous-looking butterflies of this insect are completely safe, but the same cannot be said about their larvae. Each adult female lays about 200 eggs, from which, after about 2 weeks, small caterpillars with an excellent appetite appear. To become a butterfly, each larva must feed well, which it does for several weeks and sometimes months. Then she will turn into a pupa, from which after a while another butterfly will hatch, and the cycle will continue.
At least 4 types of moths are found in human homes:
- Food - rather small, but very unpleasant, living in the kitchen and feeding on food, including cereals and confectionery;
- The dress bird is the largest, with a wingspan of more than 2 cm and prefers to see clothes made of cotton, linen, and wool in its diet;
- Furniture - butterflies with a wingspan of up to 1.5 cm and food preferences in the form of wool or fur;
- The woolen one differs from the furniture one only in the presence of black dots on the wings, and also prefers to feed on wool, fur or felt.
There are quite a few ways for moths to appear in an apartment. An adult butterfly can easily fly through windows or open ventilation. However, more often insects enter the house in the stage of eggs, which people bring on clothes, shoes or with purchases. Pets can also help moths find a new home.
What else do you need to know?
Ticks
Over the course of a year, an average-sized carpet collects about 3 kilograms of dirt and dust, which can contain more than a quarter of a million mites (Dermatophagoides). The epidermis serves as food for them - each of us scatters 600-700 grams of keratinized particles per year. Ticks live from 2 to 4 months, producing up to 2.5 thousand balls of droppings each during this period. Their waste products accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract and sinuses, causing allergies, asthma, conjunctivitis and dermatitis.
Mold and microorganisms
The carpet may contain molds and their spores, as well as bacteria and viruses. We carry them on shoe soles from the street and other rooms, for example, the toilet. Because of this, the list of possible diseases is significantly expanded to include infectious diseases.
Carpet beetle
A wool carpet can become a real oasis for carpet beetle larvae (Attagenus unicolor). These are small oblong worms ranging in size from 2.5 to 5.5 millimeters that feed on wool, leather, silk and cereal-based plant products. In their stomach, wool protein is converted into glucose due to the presence of special bacteria. Popular among people, naphthalene only slightly reduces their activity. To completely destroy carpet beetle larvae, professional fumigators are required.
Silverfish
The silverfish (Thermobia domestica) is a nocturnal insect that feeds on carbohydrate-containing glues, cotton, flax, silk and even synthetics. Insects may take up residence under an area of carpet near a heat source. Silverfish can fast for up to 10 months. When humidity is below 30% and temperature above 35 °C, it dies.
Pets are a source of parasites, fur and skin microparticles. In addition, they themselves accumulate dust in their fur and spread it throughout the premises. To ensure that there is less dust and insects in their fur, it is recommended to comb their fur and treat it with special preparations. In some cases, short-term exposure to ultraviolet light helps.
How often should you clean your carpet?
To reduce the population of parasites in carpets to a minimum, it is necessary to dry clean them at least once every year and a half. Maintenance dry cleaning with a vacuum cleaner is carried out daily - during active use, especially in public places. If there are children in the house, more pollution occurs and, accordingly, the requirements for cleanliness increase. In such cases, vacuum cleaner 2-3 times a week. Natural carpets are better at collecting dust, mites and microorganisms, so they should be treated more often than synthetic ones.
According to the World Health Organization, for every 10 people on earth, 4 people suffer from dust allergies in one form or another.
What products and equipment should be used for cleaning and preventing the occurrence of pathogenic organisms?
A powerful vacuum cleaner provides supportive dust removal, removing some of the insects, epidermal particles and dust on which they feed. High temperature steam treatment kills parasites. At the same time, the absence of chemicals is an additional advantage. Regular use of these two methods will minimize the presence of pathogens in the carpet.
Industrially manufactured carpets have a special factory impregnation, as evidenced by a characteristic pungent odor. After some time, as a result of repeated cleanings, the protective substance is gradually removed. Therefore, for preventive purposes, carpets are periodically impregnated with anti-mite compounds.
The advantages of cleaning companies in the fight against parasites are obvious and undeniable: professional equipment, chemistry and technology - with on-site visits.
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Preventive measures
To prevent re-infection, keep the house clean, regularly ventilate the room, and prevent the formation of dampness.
Flea prevention includes:
- Periodically wash the floors with infusion of eucalyptus, wormwood or tansy.
- If you have pets, pay special attention to brushing them and checking their fur.
- Pets require regular preventative treatment. Bathe your animals with anti-flea shampoo.
- Buy flea collars. They are made on the basis of chemicals and effectively protect against parasites. Remember that the collar requires replacement after 1-2 months of use.
- In addition to collars, infected animals require medication. The veterinarian will help you choose a drug based on the weight and characteristics of the pet.
- Make sure there are no fleas in the basement. If you find parasites, call a pest control service, or treat the room with insecticides yourself.
- It is important to regularly air carpets, rugs, blankets and pillows, and take them outside to dry in the sun.
If you can’t get rid of fleas on your own, or they appear in the apartment again, the only way out is to contact a pest control service.
How are carpets cleaned at a dry cleaner?
Carpets can be cleaned by dry cleaners in a variety of ways. The danger is that quite often the so-called “professionals” have no idea how to clean. The carpets are different. It is strictly forbidden to apply the same cleaning methods to each carpet.
When dry cleaning carpets, it is necessary to use specialized chemicals (they are not sold in markets or soap departments of supermarkets). Thanks to the active components, it is possible to remove old stains. However, if the chemical is not neutralized, it will destroy the carpet.
How not to clean carpets?
Never hesitate to inspect the equipment and soaps that carpet cleaners use. Below is a cleaning procedure that is strictly prohibited.
We are talking about washing carpets at a car wash. The procedure is approximately carried out as follows:
- water is supplied to the carpet under high pressure from the water supply;
- foam is applied to the carpet;
- foam is removed from the carpet with water under pressure;
- the carpet is hung on the side of the road to dry (car washes in most cases are located on the side of the road).
Such a large amount of water has a negative effect on glued carpets. This is especially true for carpets with natural pile (wool). In addition, most old contaminants will not be removed with this type of washing.
If there is animal hair in the carpet and it will remain where it was. As a result, the carpet will remain dirty, only further spoiled by a large amount of water.
Professional carpet cleaning: using modern methods
It is hardly an exaggeration to say that carpet washing is a real science. Initially, a professional must inspect the carpet in person. Based on the material of the carpet, its condition (old/new - with/without bald spots), the degree of contamination, a decision on a specific method is applied.
As a rule, the procedure looks like this: treatment is carried out with an electric brush, all stains are treated with special chemicals to ensure their softening, mechanical cleaning is performed (often using a single-disc rotary machine), then the professional concentrates on treating local old stains, and finally the entire carpet is covered with rinse aid, which neutralizes the effect of previously used chemistry.
The rinse aid is washed off using the water you brought with you (it is highly filtered using reverse osmosis filters). Drying is often done using special hair dryers.
Only in this case can we say that the carpet will be clean and undamaged.
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Carpet care: Professional cleaning and general cleaning at home
From time to time, your carpet should be professionally cleaned. Professional cleaning involves using the same techniques as home cleaning, but is accompanied by the specialized knowledge, equipment and experience needed to do a more thorough job of removing stubborn dirt from the carpet. Special automated devices can be used to clean carpets covering the entire floor surface.
Professional carpet cleaning can also include difficult stain removal, painting and carpet repair. When seeking professional help, be sure to report the location and cause, if possible, of stains that require special attention.
When choosing a company that provides carpet cleaning services, pay attention to the experience and skills of the operator. Ask your friends and acquaintances. They may be able to suggest you a reliable carpet cleaning company. However, they will not be able to give you a guarantee, since it all depends on the quality of the carpet and the complexity of the stain.
Regular vacuuming of the carpet helps remove dirt from the pile, thereby maintaining its appearance and extending its service life. Most carpets require vacuuming once a week, and it is recommended to vacuum carpets in slow motions.
Carpets that are subject to intense regular soiling in the form of dry dust require quick daily vacuuming. Dry dirt, dust, crumbs, etc. may remain on the surface of the carpet for a short time before penetrating deeper. All this along with scraps of thread, paper, etc. can be removed using a regular vacuum cleaner, stick vacuum cleaner, electric broom, and even using a regular carpet brush. Pet hair should be removed from the carpet quickly. Otherwise, the fat contained in it will cause it to become embedded in the pile.
Sandy soil that gets onto the carpet from shoes, both dry and wet, gets stuck in the carpet pile, crumbling down over time. Sandy soil poses a threat to carpet because the sand grains have sharp edges that can damage the pile. A vacuum cleaner is the best way to remove grains of sand from deep within the pile. Repeatedly moving the vacuum cleaner over the surface of the carpet helps remove grains of sand stuck deep in the pile. Vertical vacuum cleaners provide the best removal of grains of sand located deep in the carpet pile.
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Carpet cleaning methods
Steam carpet cleaning
Also known as hot water extraction, steam cleaning is a common carpet cleaning method. In this method, hot water is heated to a boil and injected into the carpet under pressure. The hot water effectively softens the dirt and the cleaning machine immediately turns the carpet dirt into moisture.
Heavily soiled carpet often requires the use of detergent. Steam cleaning is effective in removing odors, killing bacteria and dust mites. Carpet drying, in this and many other options, occurs in a dry room with directional dehumidifiers turned on for a long time.
Cleaning the carpet with a special shampoo
Carpet cleaning with shampoo is an original cleaning method used by professional cleaning companies. In this process, a foamy chemical is spread onto the carpet and then removed using a motorized round brush.
This method works best for heavily soiled, low-pile carpet. Before using this cleaning method, the carpet must be thoroughly vacuumed to remove small pieces of dirt. Many carpet cleaning professionals recommend steam cleaning as more effective than shampooing.
Chemical carpet cleaning
With the chemical cleaning method, practically no water is used. A professional sprays a small amount of an absorbent compound onto the carpet and then uses a power brush to scrub the carpet, dissolving the dirt. Dirt and other particles are then removed with a powerful vacuum cleaner.
With the chemical cleaning method, the carpet dries much faster than with any other cleaning method. However, this process also has its drawback - some types of carpet with special pile are susceptible to damage when used.
There are many myths and misconceptions about when it comes to deciding how often your carpets should be deep cleaned. The answer largely depends on how much use your carpet gets. There are also a number of ways that homeowners can use between major cleanings to extend the life of their carpet and reduce the amount of dirt, dust and grit that accumulates in the carpet fibers.
Regular carpet cleaning keeps your flooring looking great throughout, and it also helps remove abrasive dirt particles that damage the fibers and can cause premature wear and ultimately shorten the life of your carpet.
According to the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, all carpeting should be cleaned at least once a year. In lightly occupied homes where the carpet is not subject to frequent use, carpets can go 12 to 18 months without cleaning, but in homes where carpets are subject to very frequent use and where animals are kept, quarterly cleaning by a professional may be required.
Homeowners with pets, smokers and children should have their carpets professionally cleaned two to four times a year. Dust mites, pet dander, and allergens are only part of the problem. While dust and bacteria can trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions, dirt, sand and abrasive particles will shorten the life of your carpet and cause it to wear out prematurely.
Visible dirt and stains aren't the only things homeowners have to worry about. Buried dirt hidden deep in carpeting can damage the fibers and shorten the life of your flooring. To prevent stain buildup, have all guests remove their shoes at the door (or even outside) and treat any stains as soon as possible.
Frequent vacuuming with a powerful vacuum cleaner, removing all stains quickly and hiring a professional carpet cleaner on a regular basis will extend the life of your carpet and leave your carpet looking incredibly fresh and clean all year round. Of course, keeping your carpet squeaky clean all year round does cost time and money.
Carpet cleaning costs are determined by the square meters of surface area being cleaned. Always insist on estimating home work to get the best and most objective estimate and remember that even a small area to be cleaned can cost a lot of money. Always be careful when you hear about all kinds of carpet cleaning and cleaning promotions.
Never go for a price advertised without inspection that sounds too good to be true. You should always be sure that you are going to get the correct estimate for your carpet so that you don't end up paying extra for "unexpected" costs. It's best if you follow your carpet manufacturer's recommendations because you obviously don't want to risk voiding their warranty.
Still, why hire people to professionally clean your carpet?
Most likely, after reading everything stated above, you already understand that it is very important to keep your carpet perfectly clean. There are several steps homeowners can take to reduce the need for regular heavy-duty cleaning, including reducing foot traffic on the carpet, vacuuming frequently, and cleaning stains promptly and properly according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
However, there are certain benefits to hiring professionals from cleaning companies. Not all rugs and rugs are made from the same fabric. Depending on whether your rug is wool or synthetic and how it is made, your rug may require different cleaning methods. Professionals always know which cleaning method to apply to a particular product.
You won't have to rent or buy specialized carpet cleaning equipment. Carpet cleaning with various equipment sold in retail stores is generally not as effective as professional cleaning. You can also save on the purchase of certain equipment, and can use your limited apartment space to store other, more necessary items.
There are practically no products in the retail trade that completely disinfect the entire surface of the carpet and kill all harmful inhabitants. Professional products actually kill bacteria and dust mites found in your carpet, which will help keep your home clean and avoid an allergic reaction to a particular allergen.
Professionals know much more about the types of stains and what exactly is needed to remove them. Some cleaning products can actually make a stain worse if not used properly. Professionals are trained in the specifics of stain removal, and they always know which cleaning method to use without damaging your carpet to deal with a specific type of stain.
Some professional cleaners use low-humidity equipment and techniques. One of the disadvantages of carpet cleaning is the amount of moisture that remains in the carpet, which can take about a week to dry completely at home, which can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.
However, many homeowners try to save their carpet using their own skills and knowledge. With the right equipment and experience, professional carpet cleaning can not only save you money, but also time, which is especially challenging these days.
Professional carpet cleaning tools and preparations are available at hardware stores and grocery supermarkets. While this can be a good alternative under the right circumstances, there are a few downsides that must be weighed before choosing a method to clean your carpet.
Physical stress
If you only sweat when vacuuming your carpet, the physical exertion required to thoroughly clean your carpet may be more strenuous than you might imagine. Cleaning carpets in the same manner as the professionals requires constant lifting of heavy equipment in addition to a lot of movement.
Risk of insufficient cleaning
When you hire a professional, you can count on them to completely remove stains, dirt and odors and restore the quality of your carpet. But, if you have not had the proper preparation, you simply may not know the proper approach to fully cope with all the dirt and stubborn stains.
Not only is this a waste of time and money, but it can also make the carpet more susceptible to new dirt and stains. When cleaning your carpet yourself, you won't save as much as you think. When cleaning carpets on your own, you will have to pay the same amount each time. Plus, you risk causing damage to your carpeting. Basic carpet cleaning can be both physically and financially draining.
Hiring a professional will give you the opportunity to add specialized services to your package, such as stain removal, preventive stain treatment, and other cleaning jobs for your home, including cleaning windows, textiles, floors, tiles, and more.
These additional services typically come to you at a relatively low cost when added to a basic carpet cleaning package. Purchasing additional tools to carry out these projects yourself is never going to be financially practical.
What should you do before you have your carpet professionally cleaned at home?
Professional carpet cleaning is a great way to refresh the appearance of your home and preserve the life of your flooring.
By taking the following steps into account, you can ensure that you get the cleanest result possible after cleaning:
- Use a vacuum cleaner if necessary. Removing debris and dirt from carpet fibers prior to professional cleaning can help ensure an extra clean carpet as it allows professionals to focus on the deepest cleaning of the entire carpet. Some companies provide a service for pre-cleaning the carpet with a vacuum cleaner. Others rely on you to do it yourself. Ask the managers of the company you contacted if this procedure is necessary.
- Keeping baseboards and exposed floor areas free of dirt and debris can help keep your carpet in good condition long after professional cleaning.
- Remove fragile items: Porcelain trinkets, Ming Dynasty vases, collectibles, and any other potentially fragile or breakable items should be removed from the cleaning area and placed in a safe area.
- Remove valuables. Although many carpet cleaning companies carefully screen their employees, this is still a good idea. Keep them behind a locked door or in the trunk of your car.
- Move furniture if necessary. This way you can guarantee yourself that your carpet will be completely clean from wall to wall. Some companies charge extra for moving furniture, others don't, so ask about furniture moving when you apply for carpet cleaning.
- Remove small objects from the floor. Floor lamps, trash cans, toys and clothing or shoes should all be moved away from the area to be cleaned. It is also a good idea to lift and secure items such as bedspreads, curtains or frills with clothespins to prevent them from getting in the way of the carpet and possibly being damaged.
- Make room for parking. If you are using a truck loaded with specialized equipment to clean your carpets, the technicians will need to park their vehicle as close to your front door as possible in order to get it all to your door as quickly and with less effort as possible. Make sure your family's vehicles are not blocking your driveway.
- Identify problem areas. Focusing on the specific stains, stains, or high-traffic areas that you're most concerned about will help ensure that professionals don't miss them during the cleaning process. In addition to the options described above, there is an even simpler method (but, unfortunately, not related to carpet) - to order the collection of your carpet, its subsequent cleaning at the company and delivery of it back to your home. This will additionally save your time.
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Professional carpet cleaning. What are the advantages?
Cleaning a carpet is a very difficult task, especially if it is seriously dirty. Cases are different, it’s one thing if it’s spilled cherry juice, and quite another if it’s been spilled by a dog. The carpet must be clean in any case.
Moreover, not only because its appearance largely affects the appearance of the room and home as a whole, but also because dirt is also microbes. This is why all experts recommend having your carpets dry cleaned once a year, or inviting specialists to your home. By the way, professional carpet dry cleaning is not such an expensive service.
Do-it-yourself carpet cleaning. Is it worth trying?
Many people try to clean their carpets on their own. Let’s say right away that you won’t be able to clean the carpet yourself the way professionals do it. There is a lot of dirt in the carpets that is invisible to the eye. Yes, you can remove dog paw marks and many other stains, but this will only be a visual improvement; in fact, much of the dirt will remain in place.
It is possible to completely remove contamination only with the help of special equipment and special detergents. Moreover, what is important to note here is that these detergents are not sold in ordinary hardware stores. In addition, you will need a very powerful vacuum cleaner.
Where do carpet fleas come from?
When people wonder where carpet fleas come from, the first thing they learn is that the culprits are their pets. They can indeed carry not only adult individuals, but also larvae of parasites.
But fleas also appear in the palace in the following ways:
- jumping from the entrance;
- penetrate through a ventilation hole (multi-story buildings);
- come from basements;
- spread from unscrupulous neighbors;
- carried by infected rodents.
If it is not customary to regularly clean the house, then insects will begin to multiply dynamically. In addition, fleas actively fill rooms that are damp and humid.
Lack of sunlight and stale air are another condition for the proliferation of blood-sucking parasites.
