Rats are the commonest form of animal which come to mind when the word rodents is mentioned. There are in fact many other types of rodent such as the beaver, the muskrat, and the gerbil often owned by young children as a domestic pet.
Certainly most people class rodents as being urban pests but most rodents live in other environments were they have little interaction with humans. However any close proximity to human habitation means that they can spread and transmit infections which do have an effect on people, there are a number of diseases caused by rodents. –
Leptosporosis. This disease is primarily caused by bacterial infection from the Leptospira pathogen. These pathogens dwell in the kidney of the host carrier and are passed out in the urine. Some leptospires which are harmful to humans may be benign to the host carrier although there are cases whereby other wild and domestic animals can suffer from the same type of symptoms as humans affected by the bacterium. The symptoms follow a similar pattern to influenza but in two stages. The first stage lasts only a couple of days then is followed by a second stage which in severe cases will lead to organ failure and death unless immediately treated.
Plague The bacteria for plague (Yersinia pestis) is not only carried by rodents but can be carried by other small mammals as well. The plague which devastated Europe a few centuries ago is thought to have been caused by fleas carried by rats. Urban rodents are thought to pick up the infection by having direct interaction with other wild species and transferring the infection to humans. Bubonic plague appears as black spots on the skin and a swelling of the lymph glands and if untreated has a very high death rate. The disease if unchecked can spread to the lungs causing pneumonic plague which can become fatal within 48 hours unless immediately treated.
Toxoplasmosis. The pathogen Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for this disease, and is often to be found in domestic cats. The bacteria can reproduce within the animal and be passed out in the feces of the cat. Quite often the cat feces are eaten by other animals and the cycle is repeated causing the pathogen to spread. Humans can become infected by the bacteria by eating food or drinking water which has become infected by the pathogen. The symptoms are very similar to influenza and can last for several weeks, but fatalities rarely occur from this form of disease.
For any person suffering from toxoplasmosis then following a successful recovery life long immunity is gained against the disease. However there is a danger to any pregnant lady contracting the disease for the first time since there is a high degree of risk associated with her either suffering a miscarriage, or the baby suffering from some form of genetic def
Certainly most people class rodents as being urban pests but most rodents live in other environments were they have little interaction with humans. However any close proximity to human habitation means that they can spread and transmit infections which do have an effect on people, there are a number of diseases caused by rodents. –
Leptosporosis. This disease is primarily caused by bacterial infection from the Leptospira pathogen. These pathogens dwell in the kidney of the host carrier and are passed out in the urine. Some leptospires which are harmful to humans may be benign to the host carrier although there are cases whereby other wild and domestic animals can suffer from the same type of symptoms as humans affected by the bacterium. The symptoms follow a similar pattern to influenza but in two stages. The first stage lasts only a couple of days then is followed by a second stage which in severe cases will lead to organ failure and death unless immediately treated.
Plague The bacteria for plague (Yersinia pestis) is not only carried by rodents but can be carried by other small mammals as well. The plague which devastated Europe a few centuries ago is thought to have been caused by fleas carried by rats. Urban rodents are thought to pick up the infection by having direct interaction with other wild species and transferring the infection to humans. Bubonic plague appears as black spots on the skin and a swelling of the lymph glands and if untreated has a very high death rate. The disease if unchecked can spread to the lungs causing pneumonic plague which can become fatal within 48 hours unless immediately treated.
Toxoplasmosis. The pathogen Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for this disease, and is often to be found in domestic cats. The bacteria can reproduce within the animal and be passed out in the feces of the cat. Quite often the cat feces are eaten by other animals and the cycle is repeated causing the pathogen to spread. Humans can become infected by the bacteria by eating food or drinking water which has become infected by the pathogen. The symptoms are very similar to influenza and can last for several weeks, but fatalities rarely occur from this form of disease.
For any person suffering from toxoplasmosis then following a successful recovery life long immunity is gained against the disease. However there is a danger to any pregnant lady contracting the disease for the first time since there is a high degree of risk associated with her either suffering a miscarriage, or the baby suffering from some form of genetic def
No comments:
Post a Comment