cockroach (redirected from American cockroaches)

cockroach,

the common name of members of the Blattidae family of insects that infest homes, workplaces, and other areas inhabited by humans. Cockroaches transmit a number of disease agents, including bacteria, protozoa, and eggs of parasitic worms.

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cockroach

Entomology A largely nocturnal insect, Order Blattaria; most common US roaches are Periplaneta americana, Blattella germanica and B orientalis, and are of medical interest as potential vectors for bacteria–eg, Salmonella spp; other organisms cultured from cockroaches include Shigella, Proteus, Mycobacterium spp, E coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa