Roof Rats And Disease Edu

Rattus rattus also known as the black rat ship rat or house rat is an old world rodent species originating in southeast asia.

Roof rats and disease edu.

The body is 6 1 2 to 8 inches long and weighs between 6 and 12 ounces. 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.

Historically infected fleas have transmitted serious plagues from rats to humans. Gouge paula rivadeneira and shujuan lucy li. The roof rat can appear similar to the norway rat native arizona pack rat neotoma. 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. Its color varies from black to brownish gray and the underside varies from gray to white. While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can. Types of roof rat diseases.

This is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine droppings or saliva. Spp or cotton rat sigmodon arizonae. 2 often is called the black rat. The roof rat rattus rattus fig.

The roof rat has large ears and a pointed nose. They can transmit these diseases through physical contact bites by contamination or by fleas that are feeding on the rodent. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome hps. Tiguous 50 states although the norway rat may be absent from some relatively large geographic areas of the west.

The roof rat figures 1 4. A roof rat noses around a rodent bait station on kiawah island in august 2020. Bubonic plague was a scourge in europe several times throughout history. There are several diseases roof rats can transmit to humans.

The eyes are large and prominent. Roof rats are not established in the mid western states. 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. These pests cause significant damage through their gnawing nesting and burrowing habits.

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. However roof rat diseases are the most serious concern for people and pets. Among the diseases rats can transmit to humans or livestock are murine typhus leptospirosis salmonellosis food poisoning and ratbite fever.