What illnesses can be contracted from street rats? - briefly
Street rats may transmit leptospirosis, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, salmonellosis, rat‑bite fever, and plague (Yersinia pestis). Transmission occurs via contaminated urine, feces, bites, or fleas that infest the rodents.
What illnesses can be contracted from street rats? - in detail
Urban rats are reservoirs for a wide range of pathogens that can affect humans through direct contact, bites, scratches, or exposure to contaminated urine, feces, and droppings. The most significant illnesses include:
- Leptospirosis – caused by Leptospira bacteria; enters the body through skin abrasions or mucous membranes after contact with contaminated water or soil. Symptoms range from fever and muscle pain to severe kidney or liver failure.
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome – transmitted when aerosolized rodent excreta are inhaled. Early signs are fever and muscle aches; progression can lead to rapid respiratory distress and high mortality without prompt intensive care.
- Salmonellosis – Salmonella species spread via food or surfaces tainted with rat feces. Presents with diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever; dehydration is a primary risk.
- Rat‑borne Typhus (Rickettsial disease) – Rickettsia typhi carried by fleas that infest rats; humans acquire infection through flea bites or contaminated flea feces. Clinical picture includes fever, headache, rash, and, in severe cases, organ dysfunction.
- Plague – Yersinia pestis persists in rat populations and their fleas. Bubonic form appears as swollen lymph nodes; pneumonic form can develop from inhalation, leading to severe respiratory illness and high fatality if untreated.
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) – spread by exposure to infected rodent urine, droppings, or nesting material. Often asymptomatic, but can cause meningitis, encephalitis, or congenital defects when transmitted to pregnant women.
- Arenavirus infections (e.g., Seoul virus) – carried by rodents; human infection occurs through inhalation of aerosolized particles. Results in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, characterized by fever, hemorrhage, and renal impairment.
- Tularemia – Francisella tularensis may be present in rat populations; transmission occurs via bite, handling of infected tissue, or inhalation. Symptoms include ulcerated skin lesions, fever, and lymphadenopathy.
Additional concerns involve parasitic infestations such as Hydatid disease (Echinococcus spp.) and Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), though these are less common from rats compared with other intermediate hosts.
Prevention relies on integrated pest management, strict sanitation, protective equipment for workers handling rodents, and prompt medical evaluation after potential exposure. Early diagnosis and appropriate antimicrobial or antiviral therapy reduce morbidity and mortality associated with these zoonotic threats.