While there are several households that love the pitter-patter sound of little feet, it goes without mentioning that the extent of the happiness depends on the type of feet associated with the sound. No, we’re not talking about babies or puppies here, we’re talking about rodents!
A survey reveals that there are millions of households in the US that have these uninvited guests like rodents and rats. The presence of these irritating pests like rodents and rats can have a detrimental impact on the emotional well-being of the family members. Not only that, there are several health diseases that are spread by this uncontrolled population of rodents.
Seeking the help of local rodent control measures is imperative to keep diseases at bay. But what are the diseases that these rodents spread? Keep reading to know more on this.
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HANTAVIRUS
The Hantavirus is usually found among the white-footed mouse, rice rat, and cotton rat. This is a fatal disease that still doesn’t have any cure, treatment, or vaccine. Symptoms of Hantavirus include muscle aches, fatigue, fever, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
PLAGUE
This is the same plague that had murdered millions during the Middle Ages and the same disease could even be creeping inside your house. Among the different forms of plague, most of them are caused by the same bacterium called Yersinia pestis. The types are segregated by the level of the body through which the plague reaches you, whether the lungs or the blood system, or the immune system. The symptoms of plague are also based on this type. Once you get affected, you’ll need medical treatment to cure the illness.
LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS VIRUS (LCMV)
The most common host of the LCMV virus is the house mouse. When someone is attacked by the LCMV virus, it occurs in 2 different stages – the first stage shows symptoms like vomiting, nausea, muscle aches, headache, and loss of appetite whereas the second stage is neurological. Here, meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis can occur.
SALMONELLA
There are few rodents which even carry this bacteria called salmonella. The bacteria lie inside their digestive tract and if humans make any direct contact with rodent waste, particularly where there is the consumption of poisonous food involved, they may get infected. A few of the common symptoms are fever, chills, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and nausea.
TULAREMIA
Tularemia is caused by Francisella tularemia, the bacterium that is found in rabbits, rodents, and hares. This virus is usually transferred to human beings by the bite of an infected deer fly or a tick. This virus has been reported in many states of the US and it can lead to a fatal illness where no amount of usage of antibiotics can help.
RAT BITE FEVER
This is a typical fever that is spread when an individual is bitten by a rat or a rodent that is already infected or the person has handled an infected rodent or has mistakenly eaten the bacteria in any form. Symptoms of this type of fever are skin rashes, fever, rash, vomiting, and pain in the muscle.
LEPTOSPIROSIS
This is yet another disease caused by normal rodents and several other animals and the main agent is the bacteria. When a person, by mistake, drinks water or has food that is contaminated with the urine of infected animals, he may contract the disease. Not only that, direct contact through mucous membranes and skin with soil that is poisoned with the urine of infected animals can also spread the disease.
Therefore, it is highly necessary that you take immediate rodent control steps so as to lead a disease-free and hygienic life.
