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What Diseases Do Rats Carry in Mississippi Gulf Coast?
Having rats and mice in your home or business can cause serious health risks due to the diseases and bacteria they carry. They can also trigger allergies and exacerbate asthma symptoms, making it even more important to address infestations quickly. Even indirect exposure, such as contact with their droppings or urine, can contaminate surfaces and air, potentially leading to respiratory issues. Consuming tainted food or being in infested spaces can also make you sick. In Mississippi, these rodents are known for transmitting dangerous illnesses.
Which Rodents Carry Diseases?
Rodents can spread diseases that affect both humans and pets, with rats and mice posing the greatest threat due to their frequent home invasions. They transmit illnesses through bites, scratches, and contamination from their urine and droppings. Furthermore, ticks, fleas, and mites found on these rodents can heighten the risk of disease transmission.
Here are some common rodent species in Mississippi to watch for:
- Norway Rat: Norway rats are recognized as carriers of diseases such as leptospirosis and tularemia, which can spread through exposure to their urine and droppings. They also pose health hazards by transmitting rat-bite fever via bites and scratches.
- Roof Rat: Roof rats are known carriers of various diseases that can pose serious health risks to humans. They can transmit illnesses such as leptospirosis and salmonellosis through their droppings, urine, and bites, contaminating surfaces and food sources in the process.
- Meadow Vole: Meadow voles can transmit diseases such as hantavirus and other gastrointestinal diseases through their urine and droppings, which can contaminate food and surfaces. Additionally, they are known carriers of Lyme disease and tularemia, which can be spread through their bites or contact with their contaminated environments.
- House Mouse: The house mouse can spread several diseases, including salmonellosis, through contamination of food and surfaces with its urine and droppings. This rodent is also a potential vector for hantavirus, which can be transmitted to humans through contact with its waste or by inhaling dust from its nesting materials.
- Deer Mouse: The deer mouse is known for carrying Hantavirus, a serious illness that can be transmitted to humans through contact with its urine, droppings, or saliva. Additionally, this rodent can spread other diseases, such as leptospirosis, making it a significant health risk in areas where it is present.
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Rodent-Borne Illnesses to Watch Out For
Although many rodent-related diseases aren’t necessarily life-threatening, they can still result in serious health complications if not addressed quickly. In Mississippi, some of the more severe illnesses spread by these rodents are:
- Leptospirosis: Rodents are common carriers of this disease, which is caused by bacteria in water or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals.
- Salmonellosis: Typically contracted from eating contaminated food, this disease can also spread through contact with rodent droppings.
- Hantavirus: Often spread by deer mice, this serious respiratory illness begins with symptoms such as fever and chills and necessitates prompt medical intervention.
- Rat-bite Fever: This disease is frequently transmitted through bites or scratches from infected rodents, or through handling dead rodents and contaminated traps without proper safety precautions.
- Tularemia: Commonly known as rabbit fever, this disease can spread through contact with infected rodents, including the meadow vole.
- Murine Typhus: This illness is spread through fleas that have bitten infected rodents, especially rats.
- Toxoplasmosis: Although commonly linked to cat feces, this infection can also be transmitted by rodents that carry the parasite, potentially causing flu-like symptoms in otherwise healthy adults.
Symptoms of Rodent-Borne Illness
If you suspect you have contracted a rodent-related disease, it’s important to get medical attention, particularly if there is an infestation nearby or if you’ve recently come into contact with a live or dead rodent. Early signs of rodent-borne illnesses often include:
- Fever: One of the earliest symptoms is a noticeable rise in body temperature.
- Chills: Shivering or feeling cold despite a normal or high temperature.
- Headache: Persistent or severe headaches.
- Muscle Aches: General muscle pain or discomfort.
- Fatigue: Unusual tiredness or weakness.
- Cough or Respiratory Issues: Especially for diseases like hantavirus.
- Nausea or Vomiting: Feeling queasy or vomiting.
- Rash: Some diseases may cause skin rashes or lesions.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s important to visit your healthcare provider promptly for a thorough evaluation and appropriate treatment.
Take Care of Rodent Infestations ASAP with Southern Pest Control
Discovering rodents on your property requires immediate action to protect both your health and your home. Our team efficiently removes these pests and conducts a detailed inspection to identify and seal possible entry points. We excel in quick rat and mouse removal, helping keep your family safe and preserving your property’s integrity.
Reach out to Southern Pest Control now, and let our experienced team assist in securing your property!
