Rodents 101 - Problems Rodents Pose

Rodents are a strong source of embarrassment and discomfort for people.

It is estimated that 50,000 people each year are bitten by rodents in the United States.

Feces are one of the main threats posed by rats and mice because they are a source of disease.

• Rats can produce about 40-50 faecal pellets and deposit about 14 mm of urine per day.
• Mice produce 40-100 faecal pellets and deposit hundreds of drops of urine each day.

Rats and mice pose a health risk because they carry and contribute to asthma and allergies and a wide range of diseases.

• Asthma and Allergies
  • A study by The Johns Hopkins Medical Center shows rodents are a leading cause of asthma in inner city children and have also been shown to aggravate allergy symptoms. --Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dec. 2000
• Diseases
  • Hantavirus is often a fatal infection of the lungs. The virus is found in fresh or dried droppings, urine and saliva left by infected rodents.
  • Salmonella, commonly known as "food poisoning," is caused by ingesting food contaminated with salmonella bacteria often carried by rodent feces.
  • Trichinosis is caused by the infestation of muscle tissue by trichinae, an intestinal parasite spread by rodents.
  • Leptospirosis is infectious bacteria that "drills" itself like a corkscrew into human skin and embeds itself in vital organs, namely kidneys. Humans contract it from walking barefoot on wet, contaminated floors where infected particles float in rodent urine.

Rats and mice are extremely destructive creatures

• Eat through cardboard, wood, plaster and even plastic.
• Gnaw on electrical wiring, which can potentially cause an electrical fire.
• Contaminate food.