rats in attic health concerns
HEALTH CONCERNS AND THE DANGERS OF RATS IN YOUR ATTIC
Rodents living among humans have posed a huge problem (rats in attic health concerns) for people throughout history; rats have always lived among human populations and have not always been good for humans. In the 13th century in Europe rats carrying fleas with the black plague or also known as “The Black Death” caused the death and misery of over twenty five million humans.
Today rats living with humans are a major nuisance and still cause billions of dollars in damage to food crops and structures each year. Rats destroy stored food. When in a structure they destroy insulation and chew on wires, it is estimated that 33% of all fires in structures in the United States are caused by rats chewing on wires.
Rats living in a building will head to the upper levels of the structure or the attic in your home and build nests to raise their young. By doing this they destroy your attic space and left alone for any amount of time will fill your attic space with rat feces and saturate the wood beams and insulation with rat urine.
Rat poop and rat urine odors cause bacteria to grow and spread to the living spaces of the structure where you and your family live, sleep and eat. The bacteria laden rat poop particles dry up in the attic space and break up in to small particles that fall through cracks in the ceiling or ceiling penetrations and become airborne where you and your family may breathe it in.
Having your home Rodent proofed, Rat proofed, is not enough to solve the rat problem, you must clean out the rat droppings as well. If left behind the rat droppings will continue to smell and attract rats to your home, where rats at night will climb on to your roof and chew new access points and get back in.
Sometimes the rats will make their way in to the living space and get in to your cabinets and destroy food and crawl all over the counter tops leaving invisible puddles of rat urine. If you don’t see the rat urine on your food preparation surfaces and start prepping your food, there is a good chance you are also ingesting rat urine.
If you feed your pets in the house then the rats may be sitting in your pet’s food and water dish leaving urine and feces that your dog or cat will consume and could make your family pet sick. If you hear noises in ceiling or walls at night don’t dismiss it, take action before the rat problem gets worse, you can give us a call; we will provide a free inspection and evaluation to determine if you do have rats living in your home. If you see Rats in your garden, it’s time for Rat Removal.
Rat bites and scratches can result in disease and rat-bite fever. Rat urine is responsible for the spread of leptospirosis, which can result in liver and kidney damage. It can also be contracted through handling or inhalation of scat. Complications include renal and liver failure, as well as cardiovascular problems.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), a viral infectious disease, is transmitted through the saliva and urine of rats. Some individuals experience long-term effects of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, while others experience only temporary discomfort.
One of the most historically dangerous rat-borne diseases is the bubonic plague, also called “Black Plague,” and its variants. Transfer occurs when fleas from the rats bite human beings. Fleas transported on rats are considered responsible for this plague during the Middle Ages, which killed millions. From the transmission of bubonic plague to typhus and hantavirus, rat infestations can prove harmful to human health.
Rats also are a potential source of allergens. Their droppings, dander and shed hair can cause people to sneeze and experience other allergic reactions.
Diseases transmitted by rats fall into one of two categories: diseases transmitted directly from exposure to rat-infected feces, urine or bites and diseases indirectly transmitted to people by an intermediate arthropod vector such as fleas, ticks or mites. While the following list of diseases or medical conditions are all associated with rats, most are not commonly encountered in the United States.
Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rats
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. This is a viral disease that is transmitted by the rice rat. This disease is spread in one of three ways: inhaling dust that is contaminated with rat urine or droppings, direct contact with rat feces or urine, and infrequently due to the bite of rat.
Leptospirosis. This is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted by coming into contact with infected water by swimming, wading or kayaking or by contaminated drinking water. Individuals may be at increased risk of Leptospirosis infections if they work outdoors or with animals.
Rat-bite Fever. This disease may be transmitted through a bite, scratch or contact with a dead rat.
Salmonellosis. Consuming food or water that is contaminated by rat feces bacteria can cause this disease.
Diseases Indirectly Transmitted by Rats
Plague. This disease is carried by rats and transmitted by fleas in the process of taking a blood meal. Domestic rats are the most common reservoir of plague.
Colorado Tick Fever. This is a viral disease that is transmitted by the bite of a tick that has taken a blood meal from a bushy-tailed woodrat.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. This disease is a parasite that is transmitted to a person by the bite of an infected sand fly that has fed on a wild woodrat.
Hantavirus
Some species of rats such as the cotton rat or rice rat are known carriers of hantavirus. Norway rats and roof rats are not known transmitters of hantavirus. Victims may be debilitated and can experience difficulty breathing. Hantavirus is transmitted to humans when they inhale airborne particles from rodent droppings, urine or carcasses that have been disturbed.
The first symptoms of the virus can be mistaken for the flu. Patients then suffer breathing difficulties that may prove fatal if not treated effectively and immediately.
In order to avoid hantavirus, all mouse feces, nest materials and dead rodents must be removed from the home. Spray suspected areas thoroughly with disinfectant before sweeping to avoid having anything become airborne. Use gloves to handle rodent carcasses or droppings and a respirator must be worn with functioning cartridges. Buildings should be aired out following an infestation. Not all rodents have been found to carry hantavirus. Deer mice, cotton rats, rice rats and white-footed mice are the most common transmitters. However, everyone should use caution in dealing with rodents or rodent infestations and contact a pest control professional. There's a reason you have rats on your property and in your house. Your property is in an area of the country that has a rat population (that includes most urban or suburban areas), and your property or house has features that are attractive to rats. Most commonly, this means that your property has food, water, and shelter. Rats like a safe place to live and scavenge and hide and have a nest of young and store food, and so on. A building makes a great location! It's warm and dry and safe, and in proximity to food, and so on. There's a reason rats are common in cities, but not out in the forest. Take these Rat Prevention steps:
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