Are Rodents Disease Vectors?
Posted by Mosquito Squad
July 14, 2025
Have you ever wondered whether animals, besides bugs, are disease vectors?
Wonder no more! The question we’re asking here is: Are rodents disease vectors? Yes, rodents are vectors of serious illnesses. Rodents, including rats and mice, are known to carry and possess the capability to transmit a variety of diseases to humans.
How Do Rodents Transmit Diseases?
There are a couple of methods by which rodents transmit diseases. One way is through direct contact with rodent waste, including urine, feces, and saliva. Another direct contact method of transmission is through a bite from an infected rodent.
Rodents can indirectly spread serious illnesses through ectoparasites. What are ectoparasites? We’re glad you asked! These are fleas, ticks, and other mites that feed on us from outside our bodies. If they bite a rodent, they can pick up an illness disease and pass it to us through a bite.
What Types of Diseases Can Rodents Transmit?
The CDC reports that rodents can spread about three dozen diseases throughout the world. These include widely known illnesses, like salmonella and rat bite fever (GROSS!). Others that are not as commonly known include Leptospirosis and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. And one that might be a little unexpected – plague, or black death – which is spread to humans through flea bites when a flea has taken blood from an infected rodent beforehand.
Do You Need Rodent Control or Bug Vector Control?
So, is it better to try controlling insects, like fleas, ticks, and mites – or should you get rodent control? There really is no real answer to this question, as to whether one is better than the other. If you have rodents on your property, we highly recommend rodent control. Additionally, if you have other vectors, like fleas, ticks, flies, and mosquitoes, we highly recommend that type of vector control.
Is There One Company That Offers All Types of Vector Control?
Mosquito Squad of Las Cruces is a vector control company that offers not only highly-effective bug vector control for your outdoor spaces, but also rodent control. If you have bugs and you have rodents, which many of our Las Cruces communities do, Mosquito Squad will help you achieve a more comfortable outdoor living lifestyle – with far fewer bugs and rodents too!
Search for Las Cruces vector control and choose Mosquito Squad.
Mosquito Squad is a vector control company you can trust! We are eager to help defend your property against mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, and a wide array of outdoor Las Cruces pests – and rodents too.
We stand behind our pest control treatments with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee!
Get in touch with Mosquito Squad of Las Cruces by filling out our form online or calling us at (575) 221-1787 for a free quote.
