Rodents

Commensal Rodents – Rats and Mice

Rats and mice are commensal rodents — species that live in close association with humans and their environments. Because of this proximity, they pose a significant public health risk, acting as vectors and carriers for a wide range of diseases and parasites.

Disease

Both rats and mice are capable of transmitting a number of serious diseases to humans. The two most significant are:

• Leptospirosis (Weil's Disease) — spread primarily through contact with water or surfaces contaminated by infected rat urine
• Salmonellosis — a bacterial infection typically contracted through contaminated food or surfaces

Both diseases are notifiable under the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 and must also be reported under RIDDOR where occupational exposure is suspected.

Additional rodent-borne diseases include tetanus, rat-bite fever, murine typhus, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM).

Important: Never touch areas where rodent activity is suspected. Rodent urine in particular is a primary route of disease transmission and may not be immediately visible.

Parasites

Rodents can introduce and spread a range of parasites into your property, including fleas, ticks, mites, ringworm, and tapeworm — all of which pose a further risk to both human and animal health.

Food Contamination

Rodents contaminate far more food than they actually consume. Contact with droppings, urine, fur, or gnaw marks renders food unfit for human consumption and may constitute a breach of food hygiene legislation for business premises.

Structural Damage

Because rodents' incisor teeth grow continuously throughout their lives, they must gnaw constantly to keep them worn down. This means any infestation will inevitably cause physical damage to your property.

Materials at risk include:

• Timber and joinery
• Electrical cables and wiring
• Plastic pipework and insulation
• Soft metals
• Even concrete and masonry in severe cases

Gnawed electrical cables are a particularly serious concern — exposed wiring is a well-documented cause of house fires and should be treated as an urgent risk.

Rate of Infestation

Rodents are prolific breeders, and infestations can escalate rapidly if left untreated.

• Rats reach sexual maturity within 12 weeks and can produce litters of up to 11 pups, with a gestation period of approximately 21–23 days — potentially yielding several litters per year per female.
• Mice mature even faster, reaching sexual maturity in as little as 8 weeks and producing litters of up to 12 pups with a gestation period of just 17–21 days.

Early intervention is essential — what begins as a small problem can become a significant infestation within weeks.

How PCM Pest Control Can Help

Our service includes a thorough inspection, targeted treatment, and practical advice on proofing and preventative measures to reduce the risk of future infestations.

📞 Call PCM Pest Control today: 07712 230411 / 01626 836126