Leptospirosis is one of the most dangerous diseases
Rodents are carriers and distributors of infectious disease agents. The most common diseases spread by them are leptospirosis, yersiniosis, listeriosis, pseudotuberculosis, trichinellosis, tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease.
A person can become infected with these diseases by directly touching rodents, coming into contact with their saliva, urine, feces, bites or scratches (this is how yersiniosis, leptospirosis, pseudotuberculosis is transmitted, for example). Some diseases are transmitted indirectly from rodents, but through ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and other arthropods that feed on the blood or secretions of infected rodents (this is tick-borne encephalitis, Lyme disease, rickettsiosis, etc.).
One of the most dangerous infectious diseases spread by rodents is leptospirosis. It is mostly spread by various types of mice and rats. Single cases of leptospirosis are registered in Lithuania. People usually become infected with it by bathing, drinking or using water from open bodies of water for domestic purposes, or by direct contact with infected rodents, their urine or other body fluids. By the way, specialists point out that this disease can also be spread by domestic animals – cows, pigs, sheep, dogs, cats, horses. A healthy person does not get leptospirosis from a sick person, the press release states.
Leptospirosis begins suddenly: temperature rises to 39-40 degrees, headache, lower back, especially calf muscles. Sometimes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains begin. Some patients develop symptoms of jaundice, kidney damage and meningitis, and may develop a rash. 5-10 percent patients develop a severe form of the disease, kidney or liver failure.
Tips on how to protect your health and property from rodents:
- after winter, after visiting an uninhabited homestead or garden shed, wipe all surfaces thoroughly with warm soapy water, ventilate the premises;
- keep all cooking utensils tightly closed;
- wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly with running water;
- do not eat food gnawed or contaminated by rodents (fruits, vegetables, bread, etc.);
- do not drink water from open bodies of water, as water rats and muskrats like the shores of calm creeks, which often suffer from leptospirosis and can contaminate the water with their feces and urine;
- fill cracks and holes in building foundations;
- take proper care of the premises and environment: do not accumulate food waste, garbage, regularly mow the grass (do not let it grow taller than 10 cm);
- remove climbing plants on buildings;
- follow hygiene rules, wash your hands often with soap or disinfect them with disinfectants.
What to do if you get rodents
In order to protect our home and the environment and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, it is necessary to exterminate rodents in time. They are destroyed with authorized biocidal products. Inside the premises, where biocidal products cannot be used, various mechanical and automatic traps and other non-chemical means can be used. All these tools can be purchased at veterinary pharmacies.
If it cannot be easily eradicated, specialists from pest control companies with a license for this activity should be invited to help. They will select the appropriate chemicals based on the nature of the premises and the abundance of rodents and exterminate them.
