Did you know that rodents can transmit diseases both DIRECTLY and INDIRECTLY? Mice, rats, rabbits and prairie dogs are related with a large number of health risks. “In fact, rats and mice are known to spread more than 35 diseases. These diseases can be spread to humans directly, through handling of live or dead rodents, through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, and through rodent bites. Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through fleas, ticks, or mites that have fed on an infected rodent,” reports Pestworld.org.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that there are multiple diseases indirectly transmitted by rodents. Here is information about each disease.
1. Babesiosis
Rodent(s) involved: Deer mice and voles
Agent: Parasite
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Babesiosis
2. Colorado Tick Fever
Rodent(s) involved: Deer mouse, bushy-tailed woodrat, ground squirrel, porcupine, chipmunk
Agent: Virus
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Stop Ticks
3. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Rodent(s) involved: Wild woodrat
Agent: Parasite
Vectors: Sand fly
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected sand fly
Additional Information: Leishmania Infection
4. Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
Rodent(s) involved: Deer mouse, dusky-footed woodrat, Mexican woodrat, white-footed mouse
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Anaplasmosis
5. La Crosse Encephalitis
Rodent(s) involved: Eastern chipmunk and tree squirrel
Agent: Virus
Vectors: Mosquito
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected mosquito
Additional Information: La Crosse Encephalitis
6. Lyme Disease
Rodent(s) involved: Peromyscus spp. (white-footed mouse) in the northeastern and mid-western USA, and other rodents (tree squirrel) in the western USA
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Lyme Disease
7. Murine Typhus
Rodent(s) involved: Rats
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Flea
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected flea
Additional Information: Murine Typhus
8. Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
Rodent(s) involved: Muskrat
Agent: Virus
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
9. Powassan Virus
Rodent(s) involved: Marmot, sciurid rodents (squirrel family), groundhog
Agent: Virus
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Powassan Virus
10. Scrub Typhus
Rodent(s) involved: Rats
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Mite
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected mite
Additional Information: Scrub Typhus
11. Rickettsialpox
Rodent(s) involved: Mice
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Mite
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected mite
Additional Information: Other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses
12. Relapsing Fever
Rodent(s) involved: Wild rodents
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Relapsing Fever
13. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rodent(s) involved: Wild rodents
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Tick
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
14. Sylvatic Typhus
Rodent(s) involved: Flying squirrel
Agent: Bacteria
Vectors: Flea, louse
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected flea, Contact of broken skin or wound with infected flea, louse or their droppings or inhaling their aerosolized feces
Additional Information: Epidemic Typhus
15. West Nile Virus
Rodent(s) involved: Ground squirrel and snowshoe hare
Agent: Virus
Vectors: Mosquito
How the disease spreads: Bite from an infected mosquito
Additional Information: West Nile Virus
The above disease information is sourced from the Center for Disease Control.
If you have a rodent infestation in your home, you and your family are at serious risk for a disease. If you suspect you have an infestation, don’t delay in reaching out to us! Please let our team of professionals help you. Don’t spend your valuable time dealing with things that we can handle for you. If you’re in any of the surrounding areas, give Proactive Pest Control a call at 770-800-PEST or 770-800-7378.
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