10
Aug
2018

Pest Control Science Time: Ectoparasites and Pathogens Associated With Rats

August 10th, 2018
Pest Control Science Time: Ectoparasites and Pathogens Associated With Rats

A zoonotic disease is any disease that can be transferred between an animal – either wild or domestic – and a human. Rats and mice are two animals which harbour pathogens that can significantly affect a persons health. This is why rats and mice are seen as pests that need to be gotten rid of if they have invaded your home. One of the biggest threats are the little pests that piggyback on rats and mice, such as fleas. These little piggybackers are called ectoparasites. They are what pass pathogens from the rodents that they feed off of onto humans.

There are a variety of diseases that rats can spread to humans. These include:

  • Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
  • Leptospirosis
  • The Plague
  • Rat-Bite Fever
  • Salmonellosis
  • Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis

They can also spread E. coli.

While rats may not appear to be ill and show no symptoms of illness, they can still be carrying diseases that will harm you. Avoiding direct contact with them is sometimes not enough, due to the fact that they can carry fleas and ticks, which transfer diseases from their rat host and onto a new human host. A disease can also be transferred through rodent urine and feces.

Rodents and their ectoparasites can have a detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of those around them, affecting their lives and even their sleep patterns. This is why exterminating rodents is such an essential part of protecting public health.

If you have rats in your home, then there are a few things you can do on your own to get rid of them. To start, you have to make your home unappealing to the rats so that they do not want to hang around. To start, you need to seal all holes that are greater than a half inch wide, as rats can fit through them. You also need to make sure that the environment is not one that a rat wants to live in. Make sure that there is no garbage lying around, keep food in airtight containers and do not leave it out, make sure that are no pipe leaks or places they can get access to water, and try to remove any objects they may want to shelter in.

Once you have made your home inaccessible and unattractive to rodents, then you can go about trying to get rid of any that remain. This includes trapping and baiting. If you set traps for rats and catch them then be very careful when you remove the dead rats, as they can be carrying live ectoparasites and diseases.

If you have an infestation of rats, then it is best to contact the experts so that they can get the situation under control as fast as possible. The team at Gilpins Pest Control are ready to get to work and take care of your rodent problem so that you do not have to worry about exposure to any of the diseases that they, or their ectoparasites, carry. Contact us today!