Roof Rat Disease Statistics

Rodent prevention control.

Roof rat disease statistics.

Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. Diseases caused by rats rat droppings rat urine and rat saliva. Bubonic plague was a scourge in europe several times throughout history.

Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. Diseases roof rats spread diseases like salmonellosis through pantry foods contaminated with their droppings. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome hps. Rice rat or cotton rat carries a hantavirus.

Trichinosis may be contracted through eating undercooked meat of animals that have fed on rats. Other rodents such as house mice roof rats and norway rats have never been known to give people hps. From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases. The sleek black roof rat is one of the most common species of rats in the united states.

There are several diseases roof rats can transmit to humans. This is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine droppings or saliva. Historically infected fleas have transmitted serious plagues from rats to humans. They can transmit these diseases through physical contact bites by contamination or by fleas that are feeding on the rodent.

Since it is hard to tell if a mouse or a rat carries a hantavirus it is best to avoid all wild mice and rats and to safely clean up any rodent urine droppings or nests in your home. Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases. Types of roof rat diseases. The black rat rattus rattus also known as ship rat roof rat or house rat is a common long tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus rattus in the subfamily murinae.

These pests cause significant damage through their gnawing nesting and burrowing habits. Their undersides are often white gray or black. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. During this time we have set live capture traps at over 300 homes from 35 zip codes and trapped nearly 200 rattus rattus roof rats and several desert wood rats.

Rats contaminating food or food preparation surfaces can. These rats can also transmit rat bite fever through bacteria in their mouth. The black rat is black to light brown in colour with a lighter underside. It is a generalist omnivore and a serious pest to farmers because it.

The health district has been tracking complaints of rodents in urban areas since 2003. Roof rats can be carriers of diseases. However roof rat diseases are the most serious concern for people and pets. These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus.

It likely originated in the indian subcontinent but is now found worldwide.