Crickets and Asthma?

[Lathis]

Very strange topic, so let me give you some background.

I have always been very sensitive to lung infections - coming down with bronchitis or pneumonia about once every year or two is "normal" for me. Other odd things (like never building running endurance, etc) have always bugged me but I never really thought about it too much. I may have always had a touch of asthma that never presented with "classic" asthma attacks. I don't smoke.

Starting last fall and maybe even earlier, I really started to have problems. Bronchitis in December 2013, then again in late January 2014. Pneumonia in May then again in July. Horrible cough that never has never gone away in almost 9 months. Then in August, scary breathing problems started. I was finally diagnosed with adult-onset asthma. Allergy tests came back negative. No medicines are getting it under control; I use a rescue inhaler 4-6 times daily. It's definitely worse in the house. When I leave for work for a few days, symptoms ease up. (I am going to be gone for a month soon, so I am curious to see how it behaves being gone that long.) The only thing that has changed is that I got Ferdinand about a year and a half ago, so symptoms would have started 6-9 months after getting him. I keep a very small (typically < 50) colony of crickets in the house, plus isopods, superworms, and various other worms periodically.

There is some anecdotal "evidence" out there about people with asthma being sensitive to feeder insects, and even a one or two published articles on insect-related asthma in a cricket breeding facilities. That's all. Maybe I am really reaching here, but we're looking for any possible factor... (Doctor is threatening to make me cut beer out of my diet to see if it's a sulfite sensitivity, so I'm desperate!)

Long story short:
Does anyone on the Forums have any experience with feeder crickets or roaches aggravating asthma symptoms? Could such a small colony even be an issue? I'm really curious to hear if anyone has any thoughts on this or stories to share. Blarg.

 

[kinyonga]

My husband would sometimes cough for a while after dumping the fresh box of crickets into the crickets keeper. He didn't have asthma but he did get bronchitis once in a while.

 

[laurie]

I have adult onset asthma. My feeders are the bane of my world. In order of the asthma problems, dubia, superworms, then crickets. I have a large room sized air cleaner that sits between my crickets and dubia. I am always instructed by my Dr. To wear a mask when I feed, clean, or anything else with my bugs. The wheat bran that I use for my superworms is so fine there is no way for me to be near it and not have problems. I keep an inhaler within easy reach at all times. Something about moving the eggs crates the dubia are on, is a promise of my coming back upstairs sounding like a freight train when I breathe. If I don't clean them very often, it gets awful for me.

When I go down to feed the feeders, I set out 8 paper plates that are 7 or 8 inches around. Then i get my gutload, water crystals and veggies, set up on plates. From the time I start putting food on plates , clear and trash yesterday's plates, put in the new food, takes me about 35 to 40 minutes. I use my inhaler before I even start up stairs. I have caused several rather severe attacks.

Currently I use Advair 500/50 inhalator and ProAir (albuterol sulfate) fast acting inhalator. I also have a nebulitzer when it is needed. It isn't fun but it is part of my life. It is also the reason my husband and Dr ganged up on me and would not let me take a trip to Madagascar. At to that the fact that I am no longer allowed to scuba dive, and it becomes very clear that asthma has changed my life.

 

[junglefries]

Yes it is a fact. Relax. People can become allergic to crickets over a period of time. It is in the Chameleon Handbook that it is explained. In the Insect section, where the picture of the 'cricket farm' is. If you want more specifics, pm me and I will forward the quotes and page numbers. (Not somewhere I can just reach it right now) But, relax you aren't imagining things. Get yourself a little hospital mask or a 3M painters mask. That will help you A LOT.

 

[Lathis]

Wow. I didn't expect to get such a definitive response FRom anyone. Thanks, Laurie, for sharing your experience with asthma too. Mine isn't as severe as yours it seems, but yes, it has changed my life in several unexpected ways. No scuba diving, I'm okay with that, but I'll probably never again be able to hike the Inca trail or do anything strenuous at high altitude. I'm on the proair for the rescue inhaler. They originally started me off on Symbicort, but it started causing really nasty heart rhythm problems. Fun.

Thanks for the PM, junglefries. I'll check that out. I know logically that anyone can develop an allergy to anything at any time with no prior symptoms, but when you're in the middle of it, it's hard to get perspective on what the real issue might be.

I think for now, I am going to relocate the cricket enclosure in the garage (I'll have to get them some great tape) and scrub, dust, and vacuum the heck out of the house. I'll pick up some masks (I think I actually have some niosh 99s at work). I'll try that for few months and see how it goes.

Thanks, guys.

 

[junglefries]

Well Laurie, look at things positive. You can scuba dive and go to Madagascar in your twilight years. Put it on the bucket list, and go when you can really enjoy it and carry the memory with you. I discovered I have some kind of allergy this year while weed eating. My eye swelled shut for like 9 weeks. Eye doctor confirmed. I thought he was just lazy and didn't want to take the time. My real doctor, confirmed it. 43 years to get an allergy.

 

[fluxlizard]

When messing with mealworms I have to use a respirator (the kind that is a mask with a couple of disposible cartridges on it or I have severe allergic reactions to the dust from sifting them. The allergies will last a day or two and give me not only the sniffles but a small fever. But the respirator does the trick.

laurie- if you haven't tried a respirator, you might give it a go and see if it helps. Makes a world of difference for me and there are different types of cartridges and masks depending on the particle size- if one for dust doesn't work, there is chemical (that's the one I use) and then there are more expensive masks for painting that block even finer particulates. It takes a little getting used to, working in a kind of heavy mask, but beats the heck out of wheezing for hours or days afterwards...

Lathis- do you already have a good air filter running in the room with your feeders? Maybe a hepa filter?

 

[reptoman]

A couple of years ago I started having asthma like symptoms a couple times a week in the evenings and I would have to stand up and walk around to get the wheezing and respiratory distress to subside. I went in to the dr and got tested and xrayed for anything from asthma to copd and it all came back negative. I had a couple more very scary attacks and then went online and saw that my symptoms were very close to allergy induced asthma. I asked to have an albuteral inhaler prescribed and the next time it happened, 2 puffs stopped it almost immediately. The incidents were tied to the days when I was in the roach bin without a mask. I was a smoker back then but since quitting 2 years ago I have probably only had one incident that required my inhaler. I still keep it around just incase.
I have also experienced extreme itching from an allergic reaction to touching any of the 3 species we keep here. I am just careful about it and always wash my hands if I have to touch any roaches. Rubbing my eye without washing my hands has caused my eye to come close to swelling to the point of being shut and just miserable until a benadryl kicks in. I try to warn anyone I deal with about this incase they have a sensitivity to feeders.

 

[shaunaroxanne]

I am EXTREMELY allergic to dubia roaches. I have to use an inhaler after going into their bin, almost every time.

I actually learned this little fun fact during one of my teacher inservice trainings...... one reason so many inner-city children have asthma is because of the presence of cockroaches in urban environments. I think I learned that it is actually something in the feces.