Rats and mice are well known in the history of the world to spread diseases both quickly and efficiently. In fact, the Black Death that killed millions of people around Europe was caused by rats and mice. Originated in Central Asia, the Black Death was spread by rats and mice and then caught onto people in the port city of Kaffa. The trade in the Mediterranean helped to spread the disease to other parts of Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. Today, it is rare to have an epidemic that causes a massive scale of deaths. However, rats and mice remain a problem in the United States. In 2009, a rat attack led to the bleeding death of a three-month-old baby girl in New Orleans. As a result, it is important to eliminate pests found in your home immediately because they often carry diseases that can cause severe sickness for humans.
So here are three diseases that mice and rats can spread in your home:
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome – common mice found throughout most of North and South America are deer mouse, rice rat, cotton rat, white-footed mouse. A few common ways to get HPS are get bitten by an infected mouse or rat, made contact with infected pests, and breathing in air that is contaminated with rodent wastes.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease passed by rodents and other animals that can have a big impact on humans around the world. It can lead to kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, respiratory problems and sometimes death. Often, when you see these rodents, they show no signs of the disease but people can be infected through two ways.
- Contact with urine from infected rodents
- Drinking water or eating food contaminated by the urine of rodents
Rat-Bite Fever
Both rats and mice can be infected by the rat-bite fever bacteria. Streptobacillary RBF is caused by streptobacillus moniliformis in North America. Although it is not spread from one person to another, yet if not treated, it can be very serious and causes fatal deaths.
The most common ways people can get RBF is:
- Bites or scratches from rats and mice.
- Touching rodents with the disease
- Eating food contaminated with the bacteria
Contact a Pest Removal Specialist in South Shore & Cape Cod Today
Contact A & M Pest Control today to have a pest-free environment. We use ecologically friendly methods of pest removal in order to protect the health of our customers and the environment. We eliminate mice, rats, termites, ants and more. Call us today at 855-284-7123 to receive a free quote or fill out our contact form.
