During the winter especially, it's not uncommon to find rodent droppings around your home, particularly if you live in a rural, country area. It may not seem like anything more than a nuisance to some, but, unfortunately, rodents invading your home can be a little more harmful than you think. In fact, according to the National Pest Management Association, rats and mice can spread more than 35 different diseases. Diseases spread by rodents can be spread directly, from handling dead or live rodents, or indirectly, through other pests such as fleas or ticks that may have come in contact with an infested rodent.
In order to reduce your chance of becoming infected, prevention is key. Removing pests or their droppings as soon as possible is the best way to eliminate the problem before it happens. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, these are some of the most common diseases associated with rodents - such as rats and mice - that may be living and breeding in your home: