Roof Rats And Disease Edu

Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus.

Roof rats and disease edu.

The roof rat figures 1 4. Roof rats are not established in the mid western states. Roof rats can be carriers of diseases. For pest management professionals and environmental health professionals.

The sleek black roof rat is one of the most common species of rats in the united states. This is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine droppings or saliva. A roof rat noses around a rodent bait station on kiawah island in august 2020. Tiguous 50 states although the norway rat may be absent from some relatively large geographic areas of the west.

Table 1 provides a brief description of the physical similarities and differences among these rodents. Hps was first recognized in 1993 and although rare hps is potentially deadly. Ecology of roof rats and native rats. The roof rat rattus rattus fig.

Bubonic plague was a scourge in europe several times throughout history. Historically infected fleas have transmitted serious plagues from rats to humans. They can transmit these diseases through physical contact bites by contamination or by fleas that are feeding on the rodent. Gouge paula rivadeneira and shujuan lucy li.

The roof rat can appear similar to the norway rat native arizona pack rat neotoma. Eric benson clemson university clemson dogs may be man s best friend but rats have been his. However roof rat diseases are the most serious concern for people and pets. Diseases caused by rats rat droppings rat urine and rat saliva.

Its color varies from black to brownish gray and the underside varies from gray to white. Among the diseases rats can transmit to humans or livestock are murine typhus leptospirosis salmonellosis food poisoning and ratbite fever. The body is 6 1 2 to 8 inches long and weighs between 6 and 12 ounces. Rattus rattus also known as the black rat ship rat or house rat is an old world rodent species originating in southeast asia.

The roof rat has large ears and a pointed nose. While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can. These pests cause significant damage through their gnawing nesting and burrowing habits. Types of roof rat diseases.

Spp or cotton rat sigmodon arizonae. The roof rat primarily occupies the coastal areas of washington oregon and california as well as a larger area along the gulf and atlantic coast states from texas to maryland. Plague is a disease that both roof and norway rats can carry but in california it is more commonly associated with ground squirrels chipmunks and native woodrats. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome hps.