Rats as a Source for Emerging Zoonoses: Understanding the Interactions Between Rats, Pathogens, and the Urban Environment

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Rats have been, and continue to be, the source of numerous zoonotic pathogens (i.e., pathogens transmissible to people) responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality in cities around the world. A number of these pathogens (including the etiologic agent of the plague) are transmitted among rats and from rats to people by fleas. While disease in rats is influenced by a variety of factors including health status and chronic stress, the subsequent spread of disease to other rats and to people is directly related to how rats move within and interact with their environment.