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Rats

All articles tagged with #rats

health28 days ago•39 min saved

Berkeley RV Rat Infestation Linked to Leptospirosis Death

A California resident in Berkeley died from leptospirosis, a rare bacterial disease spread through infected animal fluids, after living in a recreational vehicle heavily infested with wild rats; their partner also fell ill. Alameda County Vector Control trapped and tested rats around the RV, sealed the vehicle, and later destroyed it. Officials say the overall public health risk is extremely low and that person-to-person transmission is rare, though the case prompted calls for increased awareness and rodent research.

via Yahoo News Malaysia|

#berkeley #health #leptospirosis

health28 days ago•45 min saved

California RV Rat-Farming Tragedy Linked to Rare Disease

A Californian died from a rare disease after trapping, feeding and breeding wild rats inside an RV, highlighting serious health risks associated with handling pests in confined spaces.

via Yahoo|

#california #death #health

health29 days ago•35 min saved

Berkeley RV Rat Infestation Tied to Leptospirosis Death

A Berkeley, California resident died from leptospirosis after living in an RV heavily infested with wild rats; their partner also fell ill but recovered with treatment. Leptospirosis is a rare bacterial infection spread mainly through the urine and body fluids of infected animals, and person-to-person transmission is uncommon. Public health risk is considered very low, but Alameda County Vector Control conducted repeated trapping around the RV and the vehicle was destroyed to prevent exposure.

via Yahoo News Canada|

#berkeley #health #leptospirosis

local-news1 month ago•6 min saved

Berkeley reports fatal and severe leptospirosis cases linked to a running encampment

Berkeley health officials confirmed two recent human leptospirosis cases tied to a North Berkeley encampment, including one death and one lengthy hospitalization; the patients, who lived in an RV and allegedly bred wild rats, are the city’s first known cases in about a decade, prompting expanded precautions beyond the initial risk area. While the risk to housed residents remains extremely low, authorities urge campers and RV residents to avoid rat exposure and follow preventive steps, and public health teams are coordinating professional rat extermination. The city has removed roughly 40 tons of trash from the Harrison Street site to curb rat habitats, UC Davis has tested area dogs and offered vaccines, and vaccines for dogs are recommended where appropriate.

via Berkeleyside|

#berkeley #leptospirosis #local-news

health1 month ago•4 min saved

Berkeley confirms leptospirosis death linked to rat-infested RV

Berkeley health officials confirmed the city's first human leptospirosis cases in more than a decade, including a May death of a man living in a severely rat-infested RV near the Harrison Street encampment; his companion also fell ill but recovered after a lengthy hospitalization. The couple trapped and bred wild rats inside the RV, delayed seeking care, and nearly 200 rats were removed before the vehicle was destroyed. Two dogs also tested positive. The city had previously set a buffer zone for rodent eradication and is now focusing on enhanced sanitation, vector suppression, and outreach, noting that the general public risk remains very low while those living near rats face higher exposure.

via The Berkeley Scanner|

#berkeley #health #leptospirosis

mental-health3 months ago•26 min saved

Glyphosate exposure may spark anxiety by reshaping gut microbes

A 16-week study in adult male rats shows daily exposure to the government-safe glyphosate dose (2 mg/kg) alters gut bacteria—reducing Lactobacillus—and elevates anxiety-like behavior, including avoidance of open spaces and novel objects, with increased activity in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; findings suggest regulatory safety limits on glyphosate may underestimate neurobehavioral risks.

via PsyPost|

#anxiety #bed-nucleus-of-the-stria-terminalis #glyphosate

local-news4 months ago•272 min saved

Rats Take Over: 12 U.S. Cities With the Worst Rodent Problems

A House Digest article republished by AOL ranking 12 U.S. cities with the highest rat activity based on Yelp’s Infestation Index, linking warmer weather and dense urban areas to more rodents. Los Angeles tops the list, followed by San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, and others including Washington, D.C., Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Boston, Portland, and Philadelphia, with residents facing home damage and health risks from rodent-borne diseases like salmonellosis, hantavirus, and leptospirosis.

via AOL.com|

#cities #climate-change #infestation

health5 months ago•4 min saved

Berkeley Faces Leptospirosis Risk Near Harrison Street Encampment

Berkeley public health officials warn of leptospirosis after dogs and rats tested positive at the Harrison Street encampment, prompting a recommended 1/3-mile red zone buffer and urging residents to relocate and disinfect belongings. Cleanup and rodent control are planned but hampered by an ongoing injunction related to clearing the encampment, with no confirmed human cases yet. Guidance issued for pet vaccination and protective measures to prevent exposure near Codornices Creek and surrounding areas.

via The Berkeley Scanner|

#berkeley #health #homeless-encampment

health5 months ago•3 min saved

Berkeley Warns of Rat-Borne Leptospirosis at Harrison Street Encampment, Urges Relocation and Rodent Control

Berkeley health officials warned after animals at a Harrison Street homeless encampment tested positive for leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rats and capable of affecting dogs and humans. Residents are urged to relocate at least a third of a mile away due to ongoing rat infestations and transmission risk; dog and free-roaming cat owners are advised to vaccinate pets. Precautions include avoiding water in Codornices Creek and nearby standing water. Authorities are investigating the outbreak; cleanup and ongoing rodent control are expected to take about 30 days, but a federal injunction prevents full encampment clearance at Harrison Street as investigators work to curb spread to the surrounding area.

via KTVU|

#berkeley #encampment #health

public-safety5 months ago•7 min saved

Berkeley Leptospirosis Outbreak Ties Dogs and Rats at Northwest Encampment

Berkeley health officials warn of a leptospirosis outbreak linked to the Northwest Berkeley encampment near Eighth and Harrison, with two infected dogs detected last November and rats testing positive in Alameda County for the first time in five years; officials say the outbreak could persist until the camp is fully vacated for about 30 days to eradicate rat burrows, and have urged caution around standing water while offering dog vaccine vouchers as legal challenges over encampment removals continue.

via Berkeleyside|

#berkeley #encampment #leptospirosis

health5 months ago•24 min saved

Berkeley Alerts About Rat-Borne Leptospirosis Near Encampments

Berkeley health officials warned that leptospirosis, a treatable but potentially deadly rat-borne disease, has been detected in and around a homeless encampment near Harrison Street, with numerous rats and at least two dogs testing positive in 2025. An alert urges encampment residents to leave a red zone bounded by San Pablo Avenue, Gilman Street, Codornices Creek and the railroad tracks, and the city plans to clear encampments and disinfect the area. The disease spreads via infected animal urine and can cause flu-like symptoms 2–30 days after exposure, potentially leading to kidney or liver failure or meningitis if untreated. UC Berkeley also urged residents to take standard precautions like good hygiene and keeping pets away from areas with rodent activity.

via Patch|

#berkeley #encampments #health

science6 months ago•4 min saved

Stress Triggers Cannabis Cravings in Rats, Study Finds

Research from Washington State University shows that rats with higher baseline stress hormone levels are more likely to self-administer cannabis, suggesting that long-term stress biology may influence cannabis-seeking behavior, similar to patterns observed in humans.

via SciTechDaily|

#behavioral-study #biological-predictors #cannabis

science6 months ago•6 min saved

Roommate Genes and Social Living Influence Your Gut Microbiome

A rat study shows that not only do individual genes influence gut bacteria, but social contact with genetically different rats can also shape one's microbiome, suggesting that genetics and social interactions jointly affect gut bacteria and potentially human health.

via ScienceDaily|

#genes #gut-microbiome #microbial-transfer

local-news6 months ago•1 min saved

Washington Warns of Toilet Rats After Floods

Washington state officials warn residents about rats potentially entering homes through toilets due to recent severe flooding, advising calm and specific steps to handle encounters, as floods have caused widespread damage and increased rodent intrusion risks.

via The Guardian|

#flooding #local-news #public-health

local-news6 months ago•5 min saved

Washington Warns of Toilet Rats After Heavy Rain and Flooding

Heavy rains in Western Washington have led to an increase in rats entering homes through toilets, prompting public health advice to keep toilet lids down and use traps if necessary. Incidents are linked to aging sewer systems and combined sewer overflows during storms, which can allow rats to access residential plumbing. Residents are advised to remain cautious and follow safety tips to handle such situations.

via KUOW|

#flooding #local-news #public-health