Health & Hygiene Guide: Common Diseases Carried By Rodents and Insects

Pest infestations are hazardous and should be avoided at all costs. Many people simply consider an infestation a nuisance that can be dealt with later – but that is far from the truth. Both rodents and insects are disease carriers, and some of the infections they can spread are potentially life-threatening. 

It’s important that you educate yourself about some of the most common and dangerous diseases that pests can bring into your home. Rodents like mice and rats are particularly dangerous, while insects like fleas and ticks are strong disease carriers too. As always, knowledge is power, and our guide can help you to stay safe and avoid coming into contact with a disease carried by one of these common pests.

Insects:

The most common insects can be more dangerous than you think. Ticks and fleas both have the potential to make you gravely ill.

Ticks 

Starting off with one of the most common household insects – the tick. Everyone knows about ticks and the swarms that they move around in. They are particularly popular in New Jersey and if they’re in your environment, they need to be dealt with as soon as possible. 

Lyme disease is, unfortunately, an extremely common disease that is carried by ticks. Ticks carry around the bacteria that is responsible for Lyme infection and transfer this bacteria by biting and sticking to a host. The symptoms of Lyme disease include a high fever, lameness, and a constant feeling of being exhausted. 

One type of tick that not many people worry about is the deer tick. These ticks seem innocuous as they are rather small and don’t leave large bites on their hosts. Deer ticks, however, are particularly dangerous because they possess the potential to transmit babesiosis. They transfer this disease by implanting their bacteria into the host’s red blood cells. Babesiosis infection will often leave you feeling exhausted, feverish, and with chills and sweats. 

Both deer ticks and standard ticks can infect a host with anaplasmosis. Anaplasmosis can be especially dangerous to people with a weakened immune system and manifest in symptoms that can be likened to the common flu. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another disease that has been associated with tick bites and presents itself through headaches and rashes. It is particularly dangerous as it can lead to long-term nerve and organ damage. 

Fleas 

On to the next disease-carrying insect – the flea. Fleas, like ticks, have the potential to carry and transmit harmful diseases to both humans and animals. When a flea jumps onto your body and bites you, there is the potential for harm because you have no idea where that flea has been and what else it has bitten. This can lead to a multitude of blood-related diseases, which can lead to a major infection. 

Typhus is one of the most common diseases spread by fleas, and it develops when a flea moves from a rodent host (like a rat) to a human host. Typhus can leave you feeling nauseous, headachy, and feverish. It also has the potential to cause you to break out in a rash. 

Rodents:

Rodents can carry a variety of different and dangerous diseases that you will want to protect yourself from. 

Hantavirus 

One of the most common diseases carried by most small rodents is Hantavirus. Hantavirus causes humans to feel painful muscle aches, fever, and exhaustion. Untreated Hantavirus might later develop into Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which is not a disease to scoff at. HPS is considered by many health professionals to be a serious respiratory infection. 

Salmonellosis & Leptospirosis

Many rodents have the potential to transmit salmonellosis, which is a disease that most people commonly associate with uncooked meat. Rodents often carry the same bacteria that breeds in uncooked meat because they eat from trash cans and human waste. 

Along with salmonellosis, rodents could potentially infect you with leptospirosis, which is another disease that can seriously harm humans. Humans are typically exposed to rodent-related diseases when they come into contact with water or soil that an infected rodent has urinated on. 

Contact a Professional 

The best way to protect yourself from all the diseases mentioned above is to rely on the help of pest control specialists. A licensed pest control company such as Twin-Boro can help you defend your home from infestations as well as exterminate any pests that might already be breeding on your property. Twin-Boro’s specialists will inspect your home and create a plan of action to keep you safe. 

Don’t hesitate to call us if you start seeing signs of a pest infestation. Your health is important, and we know how to limit your exposure to dangerous diseases that insects and rodents can easily spread.