3 Common Diseases You Can Catch from Rodents

Rodents are a nuisance, to say the least. They damage your property and spread diseases wherever they go. Contrary to popular belief rodents don’t need to bite you to infect you with a disease they may be carrying. Their presence alone leaves you vulnerable as they act as a vehicle, carrying a substantial range of disease-causing organisms and ectoparasites.

It is possible to be infected through both direct or indirect contact with rodent faeces. By eating or drinking contaminated water or food, handling dead rodents or even just inhaling the particles found in infested areas, you can get infected.

Some of these diseases are extremely dangerous, even life-threatening, which is why we advise you to call pest control specialists for assistance the moment you discover a rodent infestation. Below are some of the diseases carried by rodents:

Salmonellosis

This is a bacteria that can infect both humans and pets through the consumption of water contaminated with rodent excretions. Symptoms typically occur 12 to 72 hours after infection, and these include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

Plague

This disease spreads through flea bites carried by contaminated animals and transmissible particles. Symptoms can vary depending on the type of plague (bubonic- or septicemic plague) but include swollen and painful lymph nodes, fever and pneumonia, diarrhoea, weakness and bleeding (skin and other organs).

Tularemia

Tularemia generally enters the body through your mouth, eyes or skin. The type of tularemia will depend on where the virus enters your body, but the most common type is ulceroglandular tularemia which enters through the skin due to skin contact. The most life-threatening form of this disease is called pneumonic tularemia and caused by inhaling the bacteria.

Most of these diseases are treatable and alleviated with antibiotics but they come with a timely diagnosis and a lot of discomfort.

Rodents in our homes are not just destructive, they are dangerous to our health and should be irradiated as quickly as possible. For assistance with a rodent infestation, get in touch with Pest Control Pros today!

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