Does Rats Carry Rabies?
WouterThe first step in determining if an animal has rabies is to determine its symptoms. The disease is a viral infection and it can be fatal if left untreated. Rabies symptoms will usually appear weeks or months after exposure. Symptoms can be as mild as a rash, but more serious cases can result in permanent paralysis and even death. A direct fluorescent antibody test can determine if an animal has rabies.
While rats have been known to carry rabies in the past, they are extremely unlikely to spread it to humans. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that small rodents almost never carry rabies. However, a case study conducted in 2014 describes an allergic reaction in an animal caretaker after a lab mouse bite. The caretaker was hospitalized with an inflamed arm, swollen lips, and dizziness, but these symptoms did not persist after five hours.
Although rats do not spread rabies to humans, they can infect humans with their saliva. These creatures are usually nocturnal and avoid humans and quiet buildings. They are known to carry a variety of dangerous diseases, including tetanus, leptospirosis, and Hantavirus. Rats also carry the potential to transmit diseases via their bites.
Although rat bites are rare, they are associated with numerous other diseases. Most of these illnesses are transmitted through contact with the infected rat’s saliva, urine, or feces. In addition, rat bites can transmit a serious disease called rat-bite fever. It is fatal for ten percent of those who are infected.
