Diseases from Rodents
Worldwide, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases. Rodent-borne diseases are spread directly to humans through bite wounds, consuming food or water that is contaminated with rodent feces, coming in contact with surface water contaminated with rodent urine, or through breathing in germs that may be present in rodent urine or droppings that have been stirred into the air (a process known as “aerosolization”). Diseases from rodents are also spread indirectly to humans by way of ticks, mites, and fleas that transmit the infection to humans after feeding on infected rodents. In some cases, the rodents are the reservoirs (carriers) of the diseases, while in other cases the ticks, mites, or fleas act as the disease reservoirs.
For Rodent control and elimination, call A1 Super Heroes at
(954) 255-2233 to speak to one of our professionals immediately.
To view a complete list of some of the diseases that are transmitted directly and indirectly from rodents to humans, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/index.htm
| Disease |
Agent |
How the Disease Spreads |
Where the Disease Occurs |
| Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome |
Virus |
Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings |
Throughout most of North and South America |
| Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings |
| Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently |
| Leptospirosis |
Bacteria |
Eating food or drinking water contaminated with urine from infected animals |
Worldwide |
| Contact through the skin or mucous membranes (such as inside the nose) with water or soil that is contaminated with the urine from infected animals |
| Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM) |
Virus |
Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings |
Worldwide |
| |
Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings |
| |
Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently. |
| Plague |
Bacteria |
Bite of an infected flea |
Western US, S. America, Africa, Asia |
| Direct contact with infected animal |
| Salmonellosis |
Bacteria |
Eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated by rat feces. |
Worldwide |
| Tularemia |
Bacteria |
Handling infected animal carcasses |
Worldwide |
| Being bitten by an infected tick, deerfly or other insect |
| Eating or drinking contaminated food or water |
| Breathing in the bacteria, F. tularensis |
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