Roof Rats And Disease Edu

Ecology of roof rats and native rats.

Roof rats and disease edu.

There are several diseases roof rats can transmit to humans. Its color varies from black to brownish gray and the underside varies from gray to white. The body is 6 1 2 to 8 inches long and weighs between 6 and 12 ounces. Types of roof rat diseases.

These pests cause significant damage through their gnawing nesting and burrowing habits. Roof rats can be carriers of diseases. Table 1 provides a brief description of the physical similarities and differences among these rodents. Roof rats are not established in the mid western states.

While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can. 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. They can transmit these diseases through physical contact bites by contamination or by fleas that are feeding on the rodent. Diseases caused by rats rat droppings rat urine and rat saliva.

The eyes are large and prominent. The roof rat has large ears and a pointed nose. Bubonic plague was a scourge in europe several times throughout history. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome hps.

This is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine droppings or saliva. Tiguous 50 states although the norway rat may be absent from some relatively large geographic areas of the west. 2 often is called the black rat. The roof rat can appear similar to the norway rat native arizona pack rat neotoma.

Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. A roof rat noses around a rodent bait station on kiawah island in august 2020. Eric benson clemson university clemson dogs may be man s best friend but rats have been his. Rattus rattus also known as the black rat ship rat or house rat is an old world rodent species originating in southeast asia.

Among the diseases rats can transmit to humans or livestock are murine typhus leptospirosis salmonellosis food poisoning and ratbite fever. 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. Gouge paula rivadeneira and shujuan lucy li. Hps was first recognized in 1993 and although rare hps is potentially deadly.

For pest management professionals and environmental health professionals. The roof rat rattus rattus fig. The roof rat figures 1 4. However roof rat diseases are the most serious concern for people and pets.