Rat-bite Fever: Causes, Dangers, Symptoms & Treatments

Fever causes by rat bites

Rat bite fever is a type of acute systemic illness with classic features like fever, rigors, and polyarthralgia. It is caused by the bacteria which is transmitted by rats, rodents or mice to the person who gets a bite or scratch from such infected animal. Moreover, individuals may be liable to this disease by consumption of contaminated water or food which is referred as Haverhill fever.

Alternative Names: Rat bite fever is also known as a Streptobacillary fever, spirillary fever, epidemic arthritic erythema, sodoku or streptobacillosis.

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Roof Rats Identification, Infestation: How to Kill It?

Small black rat in a cup with green grapes

The roof rat is commonly known as the black rat. The other names given to it are the house rat or the ship rat. Biologically it is known as Rattus, which is a Latin word. It is distinguished because of its comparatively elongated tail.

Biologically it is a rodent that falls under the genus Rattus (rats) which further belongs to the Murinae. The roof rats originally evolved in the regions belonging to the tropical Asia. Once the number increased all over the world, they started growing in number rapidly in the Near East. This increase was witnessed during the times of the Roman Empire. In the first century, they began settling in the European region. Once they started growing in the European world, they became unstoppable and soon became a household name all over the globe. They are by nature omnivores and can be a serious threat to the agricultural land.

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Rats and Mice: What Are the Differences?

Rat and mouse on white background

What is a Mouse

A mouse is a type of rodent with features like small round ears, pointed snout, a scaly tail covered all over by hair with a significant breeding. House mouse is the most common mouse species. They usually enter homes in search of shelter and food.

What is a Rat

Rats are also a type of rodents with long thin tails and pointed snout features. They have scaly, cylinder-shaped. Rats have two common types which include black and brown rats.

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Norway Rats Identification & Infestation: How to Get Rid of Them?

Norway rat with pink paws and ears on white background

Rodents are common animals that are abundantly occurring in all parts of the world. The list of sharp-teethed rodents is very long. They are found running on the ground, climbing on the trees, in the backyard and in the attics. The most common among these is the rats. These apparently small rodents with a long tail often turn out to be a great menace for their surroundings. The rats are of numerous sizes and fur colors. The most commonly occurring rats are of black and brown color. The fur covering the upper body is usually darker in shade as compared to the one covering the lower body that has lighter shades. Norway rats are one of the species that is commonly occurring in the United States. It is mostly brown in color. These mice are generally larger than the roof rats. They very often invade the domestic interiors and reside in the attics, storerooms etc.

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14 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Rats Fast (Naturally)

How to get rid of rats

Home methods to get rid of rats

Rats are medium sized creatures with long tails. True rats belong to genus “Rattus,”among which black and brown rats are closely associated with humans. These rats were originated from Asia. Rats and mice can be distinguished only by their sizes i.e. rats are bigger in size while mice are smaller in size. Bucks are the male rats while the young female is called does, newly born rats are called pups or kittens. Pregnant female rats are “Damsremember.”

Rats are small, filthy creatures which love to reside near or in our houses. Rodents can easily escape and invade your home, spreading the diseases to your family members. They require spillage foods, stagnant water, and shelter for their survival. The most commonly found species are Roof Rats and Norway Rats.

The black or the roof rats are usually found near coastal areas in the United States; they live on the ground while Norway rats are found all over the country and inside the ground. They are a serious risk factor because they cause numerous diseases in children. There are around 20 types of diseases which are carried by the rats and are harmful to humans; these include foot and mouth disease, Lassa Fever, Leptospirosis, bubonic plague and Hantavirus infections. They transmit diseases through their urine and feces. They act as a zoonotic vector.

Rodent infestation in your houses can be easily identified by their droppings, tear or rip in your fabric material, digs or holes in your open areas, holes in your furniture. Rats feed on vegetables, fruits, fish or meat.

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