Small rodents, such as mice or rats, are often considered cute and harmless, but they can be deceptive. Rodent health hazards include, diseases carried by some rodents, and it is important to understand what they are and how they can affect your home, health, family and property.
Know the Facts
Diseases such as hantavirus, lyme disease, babesiosis, lassa fever, and Salmonellosis from the bacteria Salmonella are all potential threats from rodent contact. These threats can be fatal and can be transmitted either directly or indirectly.
Some common rodents involved with these diseases include the following: deer mouse, cotton rat, house mouse, and the rock squirrel.
Direct Transmission
Breathing in dust, touching a rodent, and bite wounds are direct ways of getting infected. You can become infected with hantavirus through direct transmission. Hantavirus is spread by contact with rodent feces, urine and saliva, or by inhaling exposed airborne particles.
Indirect Transmission
With indirect infection, diseases are spread from insect bites. These insects are infected with the disease themselves. The bites of infected mites, ticks, or fleas are sources of transmission. Rodents nesting around your home (porch, decking, and doors) can leave behind fleas who they are being transported inside. Rodents nesting in your home (attic, basement, crawl space) can be the source of an insect infestation, leading to diseases like, Lyme Disease.
The Severity of Infection
The diseases associated with rodent contact can produce many symptoms that can be fatal. It is necessary to understand the risk of these diseases and rodent health risks. Fever, headache, and fatigue are minor symptoms, in drastic situations organ failure can be a result from infection in some rodent diseases.
For example, lyme disease is transmitted indirectly and can be treated with repetitive antibiotics over a few weeks.
Salmonellosis is transmitted directly from eating food or drinking water contaminated with urine from infected animals. This rodent health hazard can cause severe diarrhea as the infection spreads to the intestines.
Furthermore, babesiosis is transmitted indirectly and infects red blood cells. Although typically treatable and preventable, this infection can be life threatening if overlooked.
How Hazards Can Be Prevented
The most practical way to prevent infection from any rodent is to remove food, water, and items that give it shelter. And to prevent rodent entry, it is advised to seal up any holes inside and outside your home. Rodent trapping can decrease population if properly placed. In addition, cleaning up food spills and eliminating food sources, such as storing pet food in plastic containers can keep away any rodent.
Thomas Pest Services can give you peace of mind, with our rodent control services. Thomas Pest Services will make sure you, your family, health and home are safe from rodents and diseases from rodents. Keep an eye out for pest and rodent signs and at the first signs of infestation, contact a Clifton Park pest Control Company like Thomas Pest Services. . The best action you can take for your home, family and property is contacting a pest management professional for a no charge home audit.