The Rats Of Montgomery County

Does this ring a bell to you? "It shall be unlawful for anyone to allow their property to be infested with rats or to be in such condition as to contribute to an existing or potential rat infestation." If you own a property in Montgomery County, it should.

This is from chapter 39 of the Montgomery county code. Do you know what inspired this initiative? DHHS states that "Rats are known carriers of disease and when living in close proximity to humans, a public health problem can develop. They also cause economic damage by destroying food sources, stored grain supplies, and property." And, they aren't the only government agency to reach these findings.

What does the CDC have to say about rodents?

According to the CDC, the following diseases are directly transmitted by rodents: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, Lassa fever, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, plague, rat-bite-fever, salmonellosis, and tularemia, as well as several South American arenaviruses.

Do you recognize any of those words? Hemorrhagic means to hemorrhage. This is when blood vessels burst. If you have a fever where your blood vessels are bursting, that is pretty bad.

You might have also recognized salmonellosis. This is the infection caused by the more well-known bacteria, salmonella. When exposed to salmonella humans can develop diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal cramps for 12 to 72 hours. I don't need to tell you how unpleasant that can be.

The secret rodents don't want you to know.

You may have been infected by rodent-carried disease at some point in your life, and misdiagnosed it as the flu. Many people don't realize this. If they did, they wouldn't let those rodents get away with it. But thankfully government agencies and scientists are making the link.

How do I get rid of rodents?

Fully excluding rodents from your home or business requires an education in proper pest management. Do-it-yourself measures can be costly, time-consuming, and ultimately, unsuccessful. Partner with a pest management company that has a track record of sealing businesses from rodents.

If you live in Germantown, Gaithersburg, or elsewhere in Montgomery County or Maryland, D.C., or NOVA and would like American Pest Control to take a look at your problem, just give us a call. If you live in another part of the country look for a company like American Pest Control--one with on-staff entomologists, state-certified technicians, and decades of experience.

Also, make sure to check them out on Angie's list. Getting rid of rodents should never be hit or miss. Hire the company that can get the job done thoroughly.