Roof Rats And Disease Edu

Historically infected fleas have transmitted serious plagues from rats to humans.

Roof rats and disease edu.

These pests cause significant damage through their gnawing nesting and burrowing habits. The sleek black roof rat is one of the most common species of rats in the united states. The roof rat has large ears and a pointed nose. The roof rat figures 1 4.

The roof rat can appear similar to the norway rat native arizona pack rat neotoma. Roof rats can be carriers of diseases. The eyes are large and prominent. Bubonic plague was a scourge in europe several times throughout history.

Hps was first recognized in 1993 and although rare hps is potentially deadly. However roof rat diseases are the most serious concern for people and pets. Roof rats are not established in the mid western states. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome hps.

Tiguous 50 states although the norway rat may be absent from some relatively large geographic areas of the west. 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. There are several diseases roof rats can transmit to humans. Eric benson clemson university clemson dogs may be man s best friend but rats have been his.

The body is 6 1 2 to 8 inches long and weighs between 6 and 12 ounces. For pest management professionals and environmental health professionals. Ecology of roof rats and native rats. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus.

Diseases caused by rats rat droppings rat urine and rat saliva. The roof rat rattus rattus fig. 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. 2 often is called the black rat.

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. Rattus rattus also known as the black rat ship rat or house rat is an old world rodent species originating in southeast asia. Gouge paula rivadeneira and shujuan lucy li.

They can transmit these diseases through physical contact bites by contamination or by fleas that are feeding on the rodent. While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can. A roof rat noses around a rodent bait station on kiawah island in august 2020. Spp or cotton rat sigmodon arizonae.