There are millions of homes across the country infested with rats and mice. Some people may think they are cute. That is until they realize just how disgusting these rodents are. They carry six different diseases. Some of these diseases have no treatment, vaccine, or a cure for the humans or pets who get infected by them. Because of this, they can die from the disease. Don’t start getting scared yet because you can always call a pest control service to come and exterminate your home for you. Although some pest control services may be a bit on the expensive side and may use chemicals to eliminate these nasty creatures, it will be the best thing. It is a good idea if you can find a pest control service which uses organic treatment so you or your pets won’t get sick from the poison.
How Rodents Can Transmit These Diseases
If you aren’t careful around the new and unwelcome tenants in your home, they can quickly spread these diseases to you and your beloved pets. There are a few different ways they can do this, including their feces, urine, saliva, and nesting material being airborne.
Another way to contract these deadly diseases from rodents is if you get bitten by one of them. Try to avoid them if at all possible and contact a pest removal service right away.
The third way you can contract a disease from these nasty critters is by handling them. They don’t even have to leave a scratch or a bite mark, and the disease can be carried from skin-to-skin contact.
Whether you have rats or mice, you will need to call rodent control right away.
Six Dangerous Diseases Carried By Rodents
Hantavirus
Hantavirus may be the worst disease rats, and mice carry. It is because there is no cure, vaccine, or treatment for this disease. It is the deadliest disease they carry, so make sure to rid your home of them immediately by hiring the best pest control service.
Hantavirus is more commonly found in the rice rat, cotton rat, and the white-footed mouse.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus or LCMV
LCMV is found in the house mouse. This disease happens in two different stages. The first stage has symptoms, including lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, headache, and muscle aches. However, the second stage of this disease gets worse by turning into meningitis, meningoencephalitis, or, encephalitis.
Plague
The Plague is the same disease that killed so many people during the middle ages may be floating around under your kitchen sink, in your cupboards, and under your floorboards where rats and mice usually make their nests. Even if an infected flea bites you, you could end up with the disease. There are many different forms of the Plague, including Bubonic, Septicemic, and Pneumonic. The same bacteria, Yersinia Pestis, cause all three of these types of Plague. They use antibiotics to treat the disease. The Plague can attack the immune system, the blood, and the lungs. Symptoms vary by type.
Salmonella
Rodents carry Salmonella in their digestive tract. Be careful not to make any contact with their waste or food they may have eaten because it is contaminated with the disease.
Rat Bite Fever
Yes, if you get bitten by a rat or mouse, you could end up with rat bite fever. You can also get this disease by handling the rat or mice or their waste without getting a bite or scratch from them.
Tularemia
This disease is also found in hares and rabbits, which are the most prone to the disease. It can be transferred by handling them if they are infected by it, or by getting bit by a tick or a deer fly if these pests are also affected.
Most people don’t like rats, but some do keep them as pets. One of the most popular “pet” rats is the Fancy Rat. Whether they are wild or domesticated; they can have 12 pups in a litter.
If two rats are in the right environment, they can produce around 482 million rats within just three years. This is why you should get a hold of a pest control service.
The three cities in the USA where rats live the most include Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C.