What will happen if a street rat bites you? - briefly
A bite can puncture the skin, allowing bacteria to cause a wound infection, fever, or serious diseases such as leptospirosis or plague; immediate cleaning and medical evaluation are essential. Prompt antibiotic therapy reduces complications and prevents systemic spread.
What will happen if a street rat bites you? - in detail
A bite from a stray rodent carries several medical risks that develop in stages.
The puncture wound often appears small, may bleed briefly, and can be painful. Immediate concerns include:
- Introduction of oral bacteria, leading to local infection within 24‑48 hours. Signs: redness, swelling, pus, increasing pain.
- Transmission of zoonotic pathogens. Common agents are:
- Leptospira – causes fever, muscle aches, jaundice; incubation 5‑14 days.
- Streptobacillus moniliformis – produces rat‑bite fever; symptoms start 2‑10 days after exposure, including high fever, rash, joint pain.
- Yersinia pestis – rare but possible; bubonic plague emerges 2‑6 days post‑bite with swollen lymph nodes, fever, chills.
- Hantavirus – transmitted through rodent saliva; incubation 1‑3 weeks, leading to fever, headache, respiratory distress.
- Risk of tetanus if immunization is outdated; onset typically 3‑21 days after injury.
Recommended actions:
- Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for at least one minute.
- Apply an antiseptic solution (e.g., povidone‑iodine) after cleaning.
- Cover with a sterile dressing to limit bacterial entry.
- Seek medical evaluation promptly. Clinicians will:
- Assess need for tetanus booster.
- Prescribe empirical antibiotics (often a combination of amoxicillin‑clavulanate or doxycycline) to cover Streptobacillus and common skin flora.
- Order laboratory tests if systemic symptoms develop (CBC, liver function, serology for leptospirosis or plague).
- Monitor the site daily for expanding erythema, increased pain, or discharge; return to care if any appear.
Long‑term outcomes depend on early treatment. Untreated infections may progress to sepsis, organ failure, or, in the case of plague, a mortality rate exceeding 50 %. Prompt wound care and appropriate antimicrobial therapy dramatically reduce these risks.