How are pathogens transmitted?
Research has shown that rats can act as carriers for many microorganisms that cause illness and disease in livestock and humans. Some pathogens are carried passively in the fur. Others are able to infect the rat and multiply within it. Infected rats may shed the microorganismus over a long period of time.
Which pathogens can be transmitted by rats?
Rats can host and excrete pathogens, such as the FMD virus, salmonellae and spirochaetes (bacteria such as the leptospirosis agent), which threaten human and animal health. Key disease pathogens affecting livestock are listed in the following table.
How to achieve a hygienic animal production environment
Rodents contribute to the dissemination and perpetuation of pathogens (parasites, bacteria, viruses) in livestock by building an epidemiological bridge both between wild animals and livestock and between different groups of livestock. By perpetuating pathogens in their populations, they can even spread infections in consecutive groups of livestock in one location. Besides disinfection, rodent control and its documentation play an important role in biosecurity for interrupting infection chains in livestock.
