What can a person contract from a rat? - briefly
«Rats may transmit leptospirosis, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, salmonellosis and rat‑bite fever (streptobacillosis).»
What can a person contract from a rat? - in detail
Rats serve as reservoirs for a wide range of pathogens that can be transmitted to humans through direct contact, bites, inhalation of contaminated aerosols, or ingestion of contaminated food and water. The most significant agents include:
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Bacterial infections
• Leptospira interrogans – causes leptospirosis, often acquired from urine‑contaminated water.
• Salmonella spp. – responsible for salmonellosis, spread via fecal contamination of food.
• Streptobacillus moniliformis – the agent of rat‑bite fever, transmitted through bites or scratches.
• Yersinia pestis – the causative organism of plague, transmitted by fleas that feed on infected rats. -
Viral infections
• Hantavirus – hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, contracted by inhaling aerosolized rodent droppings.
• Lassa‑like arenaviruses – rare but documented transmission through exposure to rodent excreta. -
Parasitic infections
• Toxoplasma gondii – can be spread indirectly when rats harbor tissue cysts that enter the food chain.
• Baylisascaris procyonis – rat‑associated roundworm, causes visceral or ocular larva migrans after ingestion of eggs. -
Fungal infections
• Cryptococcus neoformans – found in rat droppings, inhalation leads to cryptococcosis, especially in immunocompromised individuals.
Additional health concerns arise from allergic reactions to rat dander and the risk of secondary bacterial infections at bite sites. Prevention relies on rodent control, proper sanitation, protective equipment when handling rodents, and immediate medical evaluation after exposure.