What is fever
Rat bite fever is an infectious disease commonly called sodoku. If medical serum is not administered in time, death occurs in 25% of cases. The difficulty is that the disease is a nonspecific disease, which makes it difficult to diagnose sodoka in a timely manner. Rat fever was first recorded about 2,000 years ago in India, but began to be considered as a medical disease much later. Today, sodoku is most common in Asia, Africa and Latin America, where there are alarming numbers of poor and polluted neighborhoods infested with diseased rodents. And it is extremely difficult to fight rats due to their rapid reproduction. The only way is to avoid meeting them.
Spirilez
Rat fever, transmitted by the Gram-negative bacillus Spirillum minus (known as Spirillum minor), is more common in Asia. In Japan, the disease is called sodoku. Symptoms do not appear for two to four weeks after exposure.
The wound through which the infection entered shows slow healing and severe inflammation. The fever lasts longer, sometimes recurring for months. Rectal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms are less pronounced or absent. Penicillin is the most common treatment.
What does a rat bite look like?
A rat's teeth are sharp and long, they constantly sharpen them on sharp objects, such as brick and concrete, so it is not difficult to bite through soft skin. They bite with powerful incisors, leaving deep and bleeding marks. By itself, it does not attack, only in a moment of danger or aggression, especially if it is infected with rabies.
Most often this happens in landfills and places where garbage accumulates, as well as in basements, in favorite habitats. Therefore, it is important not to provoke her when you see her and not to scare her away with a stick. The fact that she is about to attack is indicated by her pose: the animal stands on its hind legs, makes a squeak and rushes at the “enemy”. What does a rat bite look like?
Bleeding punctures remain on the skin, most often on the extremities. But the most dangerous places for a bite are the neck, face and torso.
What harm can they cause?
External damage to the skin is not the only damage caused by these animals. Sometimes rats bite off pieces of skin (such as an earlobe) or may even break a finger.
Most often they aim at the face or hands.
Cases have been recorded of a flock of hungry mammals gnawing the heels of sleeping people. This happens in the poorest urban areas with unsanitary conditions. However, the main danger that rat bites pose to humans is infection.
Diseases
Every year, up to 100,000 people are attacked by animals, according to official data. On average, 100 people a year die from a bite. However, the risk of developing the disease is reduced to zero with proper wound treatment.
Sodok
The disease is treated in the early stages, after direct blood poisoning. A series of antibiotics are introduced into the body, and the wound is surgically cleaned. The risk of mortality due to untimely treatment (or lack thereof) is 10%.
Listeriosis
The disease is especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women. The latter are at risk of fetal death and termination of pregnancy.
Coxiellosis
The consequences of bacterial coxiellosis are severe fever. The infection poses virtually no risk to life, but will bring a lot of painful inconvenience.
Rabies
A popular myth is that rats are active carriers of rabies. Actually this is not true. In the history of rat attacks, rabies has occurred only a few times. However, if you do not start timely therapy (currently it consists of five intermediate injections), there is a high risk of death.
Tetanus
A slightly more popular infection than rabies, but no less dangerous. Tetanus causes damage to the nervous system and internal organs, which often results in death. Every year, about 50,000 people die from tetanus. The victims are mainly teenagers and children.
Yersiniosis
Not the most dangerous infectious lesion. Accompanied by nausea and vomiting, fever, headache and abdominal pain. In healthy people, symptoms appear approximately 24 hours after the actual bite; in people with compromised immunity, symptoms appear almost a month later.
Toxoplasmosis
Like listeriosis, it is especially dangerous for pregnant women, as it threatens termination of pregnancy.
Cryptosporidiosis
The disease most often occurs in people with weakened immune systems. Its main symptoms are gastroenteritis and diarrhea, as well as weakness in the body.
Syphaciosis
Caused by the presence of helminths (worms) in the body of the rat. The likelihood that a person will become infected during a bite is practically zero - you can only get sick with syphaciosis if you directly ingest the helminth.
Melioidosis
Effective treatment of the disease is possible only with timely consultation with a doctor. Meliodia is accompanied by severe fever, increased temperature, headaches and joint pain.
Injuries
Not only infection can cause harm to the human body, especially if the rat bites until it bleeds. A bite cannot be avoided without minimal external damage, since the teeth of rats are very long and sharp - they can cause significant harm to the victim’s body even without blood infection.
Soft fabrics
In 90% of cases, rats bite through the skin, causing damage to soft tissue. Depending on the strength of the bite, the skin will recover faster or longer.
Abrasions and lacerations
If the victim is lucky and the mammal slips off him without having time to make a hole in the skin, the person will get off with an ordinary scratch - the risk of contracting even an infection from such a shallow cut is even less than in the case of a wound.
Hematomas and bruises
If a person is lucky, he will escape with “a little blood” - such cases are the most common among victims of domestic rats. Weak incisors do not bite through the skin, leaving only external damage in the form of bruises and bruises. They pass quickly enough without leaving traces.
Fractures of the knuckles
In particularly severe cases, rats can damage bones and joints. If a rat bites your finger with the described consequences, you must contact a specialist to apply a plaster cast.
Symptoms of fever from a bite
After a rat bite, the symptoms of sodoku do not appear immediately; they appear both on the third and on the thirtieth day, depending on the body’s resistance. Even if wound healing (incubation period) goes well, signs of the disease will appear one way or another. There is no need to panic, this only means that the body is struggling. What are the main symptoms after a rat bite:
- The wound becomes painful and denser, and a tumor forms around it;
- The patient shudders, body temperature rises, pulse quickens;
- Headaches appear, sweating increases, weakness is tormented;
- Possible joint pain, rash on the body, severe trembling, nausea and vomiting.
These symptoms weaken and then reactivate throughout the entire period of treatment. Do not consider the first improvement in the condition as a sign of recovery, as it goes through several stages before the victim fully recovers. Without medical care, the disease will last much longer, while therapeutic intervention will help get rid of the fever much faster.
Why is a gray rat bite dangerous?
A rat bite is very painful and poses a considerable danger to human health and life. The “pattern” left by the pest’s incisors is easily distinguishable - two small but deep bleeding wounds (from the upper and lower teeth) remain at the site of damage.
The result of an attack by a gray rodent can be infection with the following severe infections:
- sodoku;
- toxoplasmosis;
- listeriosis;
- Q fever (coxiellosis);
- “rat disease” (leptospirosis);
- rabies;
- tetanus.
Most of these infections are curable, but require treatment using high-quality medications. If you seek qualified help late, diseases transmitted by rats lead to complications such as meningitis, polyarthritis, and myocarditis. Such conditions often require the patient to stay in the intensive care unit or intensive care unit.
Two diseases transmitted by rat bites are particularly dangerous: rabies and tetanus. In the absence of timely medical care, they can cause irreversible changes in the body and death. Even with the use of modern medications, the mortality rate of the disease is 17-25%, and in places located far from medical facilities, it causes death in 9 out of 10 cases.
In tropical regions, rat attacks lead to infection with various fevers - Argentinean, Venezuelan, Lassa. The mortality rate for the development of the latter variety is at least 30%.
Being carriers of various dangerous infections, rodents themselves feel great thanks to their ability to develop strong immunity.
Possibility of injury from a rodent attack
Rats have considerable strength, which allows them to cause serious injury to the victim. On average, among 500 people who become victims of rodent aggression, the following consequences are found:
- In 60% of cases there is damage to soft tissues.
- In 14% of attacks there were abrasions and lacerations.
- In 6% - hematomas and bruises.
- In 3% - fractures of the finger joints.
Often, the attack results in several different injuries at once. Another unpleasant moment is the state of shock that occurs in particularly sensitive people.
First aid for a bite
What to do if bitten by a rat. With such an injury, there is no need to panic, and the first thing to do is treat the wound. To do this, you will need tools that can be found in every home medicine cabinet:
- Prepare a solution of warm water and laundry soap in a ratio of one third of a bar to two glasses of water. Rinse the wound with this soap solution for at least ten minutes - the alkali neutralizes the effect of harmful bacteria.
- Next, disinfect the bite site with chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide or regular alcohol, and cauterize the edges of the wound with iodine (it is advisable not to use brilliant green). After this, bandage the bitten area, but not tightly.
- To prevent the development of the disease, take an antibiotic drug, for example, a Tetracycline tablet. This will help slow down the spread of infection in the body. Then you need to urgently consult a doctor.
A visit to the doctor after a rat bite is strictly necessary in order to receive a vaccination against tetanus and rabies; in this case, vaccination cannot be avoided. Throughout the incubation period, it is important to monitor your condition and observe any symptoms that appear.
What diseases does a rat carry?
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a serious illness. The cause of its appearance is bacteria that, through the blood, infect the internal organs of the patient. Most often the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system are affected. In the absence of timely treatment, pathogens multiply, causing intoxication. The first signs of leptospirosis appear after a few days, maximum after a week:
- high body temperature;
- muscle pain;
- weakness;
- fever;
- nausea;
- swollen lymph nodes;
- puffiness of the face.
Harm from a rat bite
Coxiellosis
Q fever, or coxiellosis, is a peculiar disease. It is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetti, which is resistant to many factors. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- rise in body temperature to 400 C;
- headache;
- sweating;
- weakness;
- cough with sputum and blood.
Yersiniosis
Yersiniosis is caused by a facultative anaerobic bacillus. The bacterium affects the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in general intoxication of the body. Vivid signs of the disease:
- headache;
- nausea;
- loose stools;
- stomachache.
Other diseases
Mammals are carriers of 20 dangerous pathogens, many of which result in death. Among the potential ailments:
- listeriosis;
- melioidosis;
- cryptosporidiosis;
- toxoplasmosis;
- syphaciosis;
- rabies;
- tetanus.
The infection enters the blood through saliva. If you are bitten by a wild rat, your doctor will tell you what to do. He will examine the affected areas and write a referral for testing. If an infection is detected, the victim is required to be vaccinated against rabies or tetanus. An ornamental animal is less dangerous than a wild one. What to do if bitten by a domestic rat:
- you need to inspect the injury for the presence of blood;
- provide first aid.
How painful does a rat bite?
Rats
Representatives of this family skillfully use their long, sharp teeth - incisors and painters. Due to their unusual shape, the bite is deep, bleeding, and painful. Usually the animal infects the victim’s limbs, sometimes the neck or face. This is especially dangerous, since in the upper part of the body the capillaries are located close to the skin, and the infection quickly spreads through the blood throughout the body.
First aid for a bite - step-by-step instructions
First aid for a rat bite
Sometimes rodents cause a lot of trouble. They eat food supplies, spoil living conditions, and pose a threat to people’s lives.
It is important to know what to do if you are bitten by a rat until you bleed
In an emergency, it is important to follow the correct procedure. What to do when a rat bites your finger:
- Remove all rings to ensure normal blood circulation;
- Wash the affected area under running warm water using laundry soap. If it is not available, you can use a toilet product, although it is not as effective;
- Treat the affected area with hydrogen peroxide;
- Apply antibiotic cream to the wounded area of skin and cauterize the edges with iodine;
- Make a sterile gauze bandage and secure with a bandage;
- Contact your doctor;
- Lubricate the wound and change the bandage until the scratch heals.
What to do if you are bitten by a domestic rat until it bleeds:
- Do not stop the leaking liquid. Thanks to it, pathogenic microbes can be removed;
- Seek medical help.
Read on the topic: Fighting rats in a private home: the simplest and most effective methods
What not to do if bitten
There are several recommendations on what not to do if bitten by a rat:
- Obsess over dangerous contamination. When damaged skin is properly treated, the risk of a serious infection is 2%;
- Immediately stop the bleeding in case of a deep wound;
- Self-medicate.
Conclusion
Many people have decorative pets. They are more harmless than their wild “relatives”. You must always remember that rodents are aggressive in nature, so they are capable of unexpectedly attacking people. The main reasons for this behavior are severe hunger and self-defense. When danger strikes, the victim must take the necessary measures. Main:
- carefully treat the lesion;
- Call a doctor as soon as possible.
Treatment for fever from a bite
In addition to a special medical serum against rat bites, the victim is prescribed injections of Penicillin, an antibiotic that is administered intramuscularly.
The course of treatment is from seven to ten days. Patients who are allergic to this drug are prescribed analogues - Streptomycin or Chloramphenicol (also in the form of injections). If the wound is very serious, the doctor increases the dosage of injections to four weeks. For prevention, in order to avoid negative consequences and complications, the patient takes the drug Tetracycline four times a day for the first five days after a rat bite.
What symptoms should you go to hospital for?
In any case, if a rat bites through the skin until it bleeds, you need to contact a specialized institution to submit tests for infection.
Despite the fact that with proper first aid the risk of infection is minimal, it is still present. To avoid problems with the disease when it begins to progress, it is necessary to start treatment as early as possible.
Fever
If within a day or three after the rodent has bitten the skin, the temperature has crossed the mark of 38... 39°C, this is a reason for an emergency trip to the hospital. An increase in temperature is the first sign of fever, which is accompanied by coxiellosis and meliodosis, as well as several other diseases carried by small pests.
Headache
A headache after a bite is not always a sign of infection. This may be affected by weather conditions or stress levels. However, if such problems have not been observed before, and the pain is regular and prolonged, it is better to go to the clinic. Yersiniosis is a disease, one of the main symptoms of which is headache.
Stool disorders
Syphaciosis is an infectious disease, one of the very first manifestations of which is stomach pain and problems with stool.
Nausea
Nausea during the first three days after an attack by a harmful rodent may be a symptom of the syphaciosis or yersiniosis virus that has entered the blood. In this case, passing the analysis is mandatory.
Muscle pain and chills
Cryptosporidiosis is an infectious disease that is accompanied by muscle pain (especially in the oral cavity, sometimes even the inability to open the jaw), chills, and, in rare cases, fever.
Involuntary contraction of muscle tissue around the wound
Almost any infectious disease is accompanied by involuntary contraction of muscle tissue around the damaged area of the skin. It manifests itself at the earliest stages of the development of any disease and is the first signal to go to the doctor.
General weakness and malaise
Cryptosporidiosis and coxiellosis are accompanied by weakness throughout the body. The manifestation of these symptoms ranges from the first day to 3 weeks, depending on the level of immunity of the body that took on the infectious blow.
If bitten by a home decoration
If you are bitten by a domestic rat, it is imperative to disinfect the wound. Even if the pet is tame, you still cannot exclude the possibility of an infection getting into the wound, even if it is not life-threatening. More often, a bite from a domestic rat is accompanied by slight swelling and redness of the skin; in very rare cases, an increase in temperature is possible.
Decorative tame rats bite only in exceptional cases, for example: if the female is pregnant (she becomes more aggressive), or if you want to pet the babies, she will feel threatened and bite. In most cases, bites do not leave negative consequences.
What to do after being bitten by a pet rat
In most cases, domestic rats are not carriers of dangerous infections. However, after a pet bite, the wound must be treated. This will avoid the development of another infection (staphylococcal).
The basic actions will not differ from self-help in case of a bite from a wild animal. You will need to squeeze out more blood from the wound and treat the damaged area with an antiseptic. After this, it is necessary to monitor the victim’s condition for some time. If your health worsens, it is important to contact a medical facility for appropriate treatment or vaccination.
“The risk of contracting a serious disease after being bitten by a domestic rodent increases if the animal has recently entered the home and was purchased without proper medical documentation.”
Precautionary measures
Rats, especially wild ones, are very dangerous to humans, so the best safety measure is to avoid encounters with these rodents. Rats are usually shy and run away from people, and will only make contact if they feel their life is threatened. It happens that these unpleasant animals run into houses when they smell food, so do everything necessary to avoid attracting them. What precautions to take:
- Make sure that trash cans near houses are always covered with lids;
- Do not leave food in the public domain, remove leftover food from the table and floor;
- Place traps and rodent repellents indoors;
- Close doors and preferably windows, especially if you live on the ground floor;
- When meeting a rat, do not make sudden movements or wave your arms.
And remember the main thing: under no circumstances try to “make friends” with a rat! Many bites occur precisely because the person either wanted to pet the rodent or drove it into a corner with a stick. This is very dangerous to do, as the wild animal immediately senses danger and begins to show aggression. The best way to avoid a rat attack is to spray cold water on it. This will scare away the uninvited guest, and she will retreat. Photo
When to contact a medical facility
A person bitten by a wild rat must be taken to a medical facility if the following symptoms are observed a few days after the incident with a rodent attack:
- increased body temperature;
- headache;
- stool disorders (diarrhea);
- nausea;
- muscle pain;
- chills;
- enlarged liver and spleen;
- involuntary contraction of muscle tissue around the wound;
- general weakness and malaise.
The greatest danger is the development of tetanus. In this case, the patient experiences acute pain at the site of the bite even several weeks after the animal’s attack, tension in the chewing muscles, making it impossible to open the mouth, pain in the back, and sleep disturbances. If the person who was bitten has not had a tetanus shot in a long time, he or she should go to the emergency room to receive tetanus serum.
To avoid the possibility of being bitten, the following recommendations should be followed:
- Avoid contact with wild rodents, being near landfills and sewers.
- If rats appear in your home, do not try to get rid of them yourself, but seek help from specialized services and leave the house for a while;
- When meeting a rodent, do not provoke its aggression by trying to catch, chase, photograph, etc.
If an animal shows menacing intentions, you can scare it away by sprinkling water.
If you want to get a decorative rat, you need to purchase a pet at a veterinary store. In this case, the seller must provide the buyer with medical certificates confirming that the rodent does not have any dangerous infectious diseases.
You can go to a medical facility immediately after a bite if the behavior of the animal alerts the victim. However, if first aid is provided in a timely manner, then the visit can be refused.
If the victim experiences a deterioration in health, this is an indication of the need to visit a specialist. Closely monitor the condition of the victim of aggression.
Possible symptoms:
- fever, chills;
- malaise, general weakness;
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
- enlarged liver, spleen;
- muscle spasms, cramps.
You can avoid being bitten by following some simple rules:
- Try to avoid garbage cans, sewer hatches, abandoned basements, and construction sites.
- If you notice a rodent in your home, do not try to fight it yourself. It is better to call a team of specialists.
- When meeting a rodent, do not make sudden movements, do not insist on contact, and do not take photographs.
- If you notice aggressive intentions, spray the rat with water. This will give you the opportunity to move away to a safe distance.
Rodent control products
There are many repellent devices, and the operating principle is based on ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves. Such devices do not kill rodents, but force them to leave the room by affecting the nervous system. What types of repellers exist and what are the differences in operation:
- Electronic repellers. The essence of these devices is to distribute magnetic pulses through an electrical wire, which is a powerful irritant for rats and mice. The range of these repellers is enough to cover the entire area of the room.
- Ultrasonic repellers. These devices act on the nervous system of rodents with high-frequency sound vibrations with changing frequencies, due to which the rats do not have time to get used to the ultrasound and quickly flee.
- Combined repellers. These devices combine a dual effect on pests: high frequency sound and low range of electromagnetic waves. This variable component does not allow rodents to adapt.
The choice of a specific repellent device depends on a number of factors: the number of rats and mice, the area of residence, the level of human comfort, etc. Each device has a different radius of influence, so choosing a repeller for a specific case will not be difficult. Their undoubted advantage is that they quickly drive rodents out of the house.
What symptoms indicate infection?
Rodents eat everything they come across: garbage, stale and rotten waste, rat droppings. Therefore, the composition of the microflora in their mouth has a very wide range: harmful bacteria, viruses that can cause inflammation in the most optimistic case, and in the worst case, the rat can be a carrier of infectious diseases. Rat bites, due to the characteristic deep wound, in 90% of cases cause its inflammation and the appearance of a purulent process.
Diseases from rats
What dangerous diseases do rodents spread and why is a rat bite dangerous?
- Leptospirosis is a serious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira, which results in infection of internal organs (liver, kidneys) and the nervous system. The probable mortality rate is 16% of affected patients. Its symptoms: high temperature up to 40 ºС, chills and headaches, after 2 days the liver becomes enlarged, accompanied by severe pain in the calves and legs.
- Listeriosis - the causative agents are pathogenic Listeria bacteria, the disease is very dangerous for pregnant women, because can cause miscarriage, affects people with reduced immunity most of all.
- Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma, dangerous for pregnant women due to possible damage to the fetus with a probability of 40%.
- Yersiniosis is an infectious disease that causes damage to the gastrointestinal tract and severe intoxication, incl. affects the musculoskeletal system and liver. The disease often manifests itself within 3-7 days, sometimes after 18 days, with the following symptoms: fever up to 40 ºС, pain in muscles and joints, head and abdomen, nausea and diarrhea.
- Cryptosporidiosis is a disease caused by coccidia and affects the stomach and gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms: severe diarrhea for several days, sometimes up to 1 month, abdominal pain.
- Syphaciosis is a helminthic disease in rodents.
- Q fever is an infection that causes symptoms in a person: general weakness, joint and muscle pain, dry cough, loss of appetite and sleep, and headache.
There is a whole set of characteristic signs, upon the appearance of which a person bitten by a rat should be shown to a doctor as soon as possible.
The most common diseases that occur a few days (weeks) after rat bites are manifested by a typical fever with characteristic symptoms:
- Increased body temperature;
- Chills;
- Severe malaise and general weakness;
- Pain in the head;
- Digestive disorders, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain.
These are signs of most viral and bacterial fevers, leptospirosis and pseudotuberculosis. As a rule, they develop approximately a week or two after the bite, but sometimes the incubation period drags on up to a month, or, conversely, lasts only literally a few hours or a day. This, by the way, is one of the difficulties of diagnosis - often by the time symptoms appear, a person has already forgotten that he was bitten by a rat.
Here, for example, are the characteristic signs of tetanus:
- Acute pain at the site of the bite, even if the bite itself has long since healed (several weeks after the rat attack);
- Muscle twitching at the site of the bite;
- Tension of the chewing muscles, sometimes not allowing you to open your mouth at all;
- Insomnia;
- Excruciating back pain.
With sodoku, in addition to pain, an infiltrate with constantly leaking fluid may develop at the site of the wound. With a nonspecific local infection, a painful inflammation first appears here, and then a characteristic abscess.
In general, there is no need to remember these symptoms. Any disturbance in the general health of the victim in the weeks following the rat attack is likely to be related to the bite itself. Moreover, the first “bell” can be not only a generalized sign, but also local manifestations - pain, itching, spontaneous muscle contractions near the wound, even if it has healed. None of them should be ignored, and if symptoms are obvious, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Ultrasonic repeller
The most popular today are ultrasonic rodent repellers - devices that are convenient and safe for humans. The effectiveness of each device depends on correct adherence to the instructions and operating conditions; only then will there be a good result. Which devices against mice and rats are considered the best:
Clean house. The ultrasound of which spreads over an area of up to 150 square meters. m. Thanks to signals that are not audible to the human ear, but perfectly audible by rodents, pests panic and run away.
Typhoon. This ultrasonic repeller is used not only at home, in the country, but also in large industrial premises. Valid on an area up to 220 sq. m. and operates in two modes – silent (for home) and sound (for warehouses).
Tornado. Another powerful device for repelling mice and rats , the radiation area reaches 400 square meters. m. Absolutely harmless to people and pets, equipped with an automatic ultrasonic frequency switch.
There are effective rodent repellers such as Grad, ElectroKot, Tsunami, Spectrum, Banzai, Chiston. You should choose a specific device after studying the instructions - this will help you choose the right device for the right room.
Danger
Even shallow rat bites can be deadly. Rodents spread more than 60 pathogenic microorganisms, carry helminth eggs, and are carriers of dangerous diseases. When they bite, rats secrete saliva that contains viruses, bacteria, and other infections.
- Licorice. Or rat bite disease. Sad statistics show that if no measures are taken, 10% of cases end in death.
- Tetanus. People are vaccinated against this disease in childhood. This is enough to protect an adult from a dangerous infection. If vaccination has not been done, the risk of developing tetanus increases significantly. Complications of the disease are pneumonia, heart paralysis, blood poisoning. The fatality rate is quite high - about 23%.
- Leptospirosis. It is very often transmitted by the bite of a rat. In most cases, the patient ends up in intensive care. Complications are kidney failure, cardiac paralysis, anaphylactic shock, death.
- Pseudotuberculosis. Affects the respiratory organs and lungs. The danger is the development of pleurisy, myocarditis, and meningitis.
- Listeriosis. The causative agents of infectious diseases are pathogenic microorganisms. The risk of developing pathology increases in people with low immunity, children, and pregnant women. In pregnant women, it provokes miscarriage at any time.
- Toxoplasmosis. Infectious bacterial disease affecting the intestines. With a significant proliferation of pathological microflora, other internal organs are affected.
- Q fever. The disease is characterized by fever, chills, and severe intoxication. Dangerous complications that can affect any internal organs.
A rat bite is dangerous due to helminth infection. Parasites affect the intestines, reduce immunity, and cause intoxication. A particularly dangerous disease for young children.
The danger of a rat bite is more or less clear. But don't panic if this happens. You need to pull yourself together and prepare first aid.
Treatment of the wound
Animals kept in cages that do not come into contact with wild rats do not pose such a danger to humans. The pet often bites the finger, expressing its displeasure.
Rarely do domestic rat bites become deep. But blood may appear; the wounds must be treated according to the general rules:
- rinse under running water for several minutes;
- treat with soapy water, leave for 10 minutes, rinse;
- disinfect with alcohol, any tincture containing it, hydrogen peroxide;
- Apply iodine around the wound.
If rat bites do not cause blood, you can simply treat the skin with ointment to eliminate bruises and abrasions. The most common remedy is Rescuer gel or cream.
If you are bitten by a recently acquired pet, you should take the situation more seriously. Some experts say that this is how you can become infected with rabies. Others say that this virus is not transmitted from rats. You need to play it safe and visit an infectious disease doctor.
In the previous century, rats were the main spreaders of plague. The animals themselves remained healthy and unharmed.
First, the best way to avoid getting bitten by rats is to avoid the animals themselves! Wild rodents are afraid of people and run away at the first opportunity. Noise and popping noises can help scare them away. If a rat is cornered, it will fear for its life and will bite and scratch, sometimes even while urinating and defecating.
Sometimes rats cannot be avoided. Wild individuals are attracted to human habitats by leftover food. You need to clean and cover food, set traps inside the house. Make sure trash cans have lids on the outside.
If a breeder or laboratory technician must handle rats and mice on a regular basis, the following safety precautions should be observed:
- use protective equipment to prevent a painful rat bite;
- use tongs to hold the rat's tail, which will allow you to control the distance between the rodent's mouth and hand;
- If the rat starts to swing, trying to bite, you need to create a momentum to make it swing back.
Pet rats can often be cute and funny. Their owners pamper them with delicious food and give them vegetables as vitamins. However, these pet rodents can also cause trouble if they are handled or caught incorrectly, in a relaxed state.
Most often, a domestic rat may bite a finger or hand if a person has previously taken some food. This can be prevented by washing food odor from your hands. Such bites are usually minor. Sometimes a rat may bite out of fear. Holding it securely in your hands completely in a calm environment can reduce the likelihood of such a reaction.
Animals are unlikely to attack laboratory workers or owners, but understanding why a pet rat bit you can help prevent injury later. You need to be attentive, vigilant and not allow yourself to be distracted!
Consequences
A person gets most infections from wild urban pasyuki not through bite injuries, but through soiled and contaminated food and kitchen items. If the attack occurred near your home, then the likelihood that gray or black rodents “feast” on you at night is too high.
Remember this, and if you find characteristic stool pellets, take appropriate measures in your apartment or house. Citizens should not be lazy and write a statement to the sanitary and epidemiological station. Let them carry out deratization of waste collection areas.
Traces of friendship and domestication of a wild South American bush rat
The consequences of a rat bite, if there is no infectious infection, are psychological problems. Young children, teenagers, pregnant women and sensitive women are especially susceptible to rat attacks. Some people may develop scars as a result of poor skin regeneration (pictured above).
In the final video in this article, you can get more information about the symptoms and signs of infectious diseases from pasyuki bites, which, although rare, are still possible.
What to do if rats bite children in kindergarten?
In many cases, rat bites require not only therapeutic but also administrative measures. Still, in accordance with sanitary standards, there should be no rats, mice, or any other rodents in the premises next to a person. And if in his home a person himself is responsible for preventing their occurrence, then in various educational institutions it is quite possible to demand compliance with these measures from the administration.
For example, if rats bite children in a kindergarten, there is a flagrant violation of sanitary standards. What should be done if the kindergarten administration did nothing in response to such an emergency?
- Compile and send an application to the regional SES office. The service usually responds promptly to complaints regarding municipal enterprises;
- Send an appeal to the deputy head of the city administration;
- If there is no response from the deputy head and the SES, write a complaint to Rospotrebnadzor.
It is very important that all complaints and appeals be collective, from at least three to four parents. This will help employees of the relevant services to distinguish the real problem from the far-fetched complaints of some scandalous mother.
It is advisable to attach to all requests copies of certificates from the clinic where the bitten children were examined by a doctor, as well as photographs and copies of letters to other authorities from which no response was received.
Streptobacteriosis
A form of streptobacteriosis is known by the alternative names Haverhill fever, epidemic arthritic erythema. This is a serious disease caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis, transmitted by the bite of a rat or by ingestion of contaminated foods (Haverhill).
After an incubation period of 2–10 days, Haverhill begins with high prostration, trembling, headache, polyarthralgia (joint pain). Soon, an exanthema (widespread rash), maculopapular (flat red with bumps) or petechial (red, purple spots), arthritis of large joints appears.
The disease is detected by blood or joint fluid tests. The disease is fatal if left untreated in 20% of cases due to malignant endocarditis, meningoencephalitis, and septic shock. Treatment is carried out with penicillin, tetracycline, doxycycline.
Diagnosis
The condition is diagnosed by detecting bacteria on the skin, blood, joint fluid, and lymph nodes. Blood tests for antibodies are also used. To make a correct diagnosis, various tests are performed depending on the symptoms experienced.
Prevention
The disease can be prevented by avoiding rodents and using effective rat control methods. Hands and face should be washed after contact, scratches should be cleaned, and an antiseptic should be applied. There is no vaccine. Animals, laboratory workers, sanitation and sewer workers must take special precautions.
Wild rodents, dead or alive, must not be touched, and pets are prohibited from eating rodents. People living in areas with overcrowding and poor sanitation are at risk of disease. Half of the reported cases are children under 12 years of age.
Treatment
Antibiotic treatment is the same for both types of infection. The condition responds to penicillin. For allergies, erythromycin and tetracyclines are used.
Forecast
When proper treatment is provided to patients with a rat bite, the prognosis is positive. Without treatment, the infection usually clears up on its own, although it may take a year. Before antibiotics were used, many cases resulted in death.
If streptobacter fever from a rat bite is not treated, the disease will lead to infection of the mucous membrane of the heart, spinal cord, brain, and lungs. Any tissue or organ throughout the body can develop an abscess.
Why does a rat bite?
These animals show many different emotions when they bite their owner, perceiving him as their own.
Rodents in their natural habitat widely use biting for communication. Little rats bite easily when playing with each other or with humans. This is the same thing that siblings do when they fight on the couch or on the bed, constantly screaming, laughing and crying. It's a game, but a game of dominance, in which you learn to defend yourself and be the master.
The rat will bite you if it is playing and will continue to do so until you set a limit on the intensity of the bite.
This is why it is so important to train your pet.
