Rat Bites & The Risks
Note: I am not a doctor, if you’ve been bitten by any animal and are worried please contact your GP or 111 for advise immediately. This article is meant as a bit of information to read should you have ten mins to spare while waiting for a bus or something equally as boring!
So, in the news recently has been the case of a fairly young mum dying from a rat bite. Thought it might be handy to advise people on the risks, while also putting into perspective the risks rats pose to humans.
First and foremost, it’s important to mention, any pet or animal you have contact with can transfer pathogenic organisms to humans. The information here is not solely related to the bites of rats but of course can relate to all animal bites.
Our skin acts as a very effective and efficient barrier to the outside world and all the nasties within it. If our skin is broken, our blood acts as the next barrier, then our immune system and so on and so forth. Without giving a biology lesson here, the point is that when the skin is broken, it is possible, if our other defences fail, pathogenic organisms can make their way into our blood stream, thus giving them access to our whole body. Infection of pathogens can come from our own skin! We have colonies of commensal bacteria which live on us, as part of our fauna and flora, and each one keeps the other in check. If a child falls over and grazes their knee, it is possible (and not uncommon) for bacteria on the skin to infect that cut and enter our body. The majority of the time our immune system protects us, rarely it will struggle. My own son did this very thing and ended up needing a trip to the GP for the nurse to clean out the cut and apply a special plaster to remove the infection. Luckily we escaped a case of sepsis (he had pain in his leg and was limping! Very scary!).
Our skin acts as a very effective and efficient barrier to the outside world and all the nasties within it. If our skin is broken, our blood acts as the next barrier, then our immune system and so on and so forth. Without giving a biology lesson here, the point is that when the skin is broken, it is possible, if our other defences fail, pathogenic organisms can make their way into our blood stream, thus giving them access to our whole body. Infection of pathogens can come from our own skin! We have colonies of commensal bacteria which live on us, as part of our fauna and flora, and each one keeps the other in check. If a child falls over and grazes their knee, it is possible (and not uncommon) for bacteria on the skin to infect that cut and enter our body. The majority of the time our immune system protects us, rarely it will struggle. My own son did this very thing and ended up needing a trip to the GP for the nurse to clean out the cut and apply a special plaster to remove the infection. Luckily we escaped a case of sepsis (he had pain in his leg and was limping! Very scary!).
In the case of animal bites, there is a risk of infection. An animal does not share the same commensal bacteria that we do and when they bite, piercing the skin (drawing blood) or even grazing the skin, this is immediately breaking through the bodies first barrier to infection. If you experience a rat bite, as with any animal bite, you should;
Immediately rinse the bite in clean running water, removing any debris
Stop the bleeding, depending on the size of the cut will depend on how you go about this (a dog bite could very well need emergency medical assistance due to blood loss etc). If this is a rat bite, applying pressure will soon stop the bleeding. Use a clean item (e.g. kitchen roll).
When the bleeding has stopped, clean the cut again with antiseptic wash and cover with a clean bandage or sterile plaster to prevent infection.
After any animal bite, you should seek medical advise from your local GP.
Signs of infection to cuts can include;
Swelling, redness, pain at the site of cut
Puss formation
Feeling generally unwell
A high temperature
Swollen glands (glands are under your chin, in your armpits or in your groin).
A rash, of any kind, anywhere (may be more likely on hands but anywhere a rash appears is not good)
If you have any of these symptoms in ANY cuts (especially if you think a cut is not healing well), contact your GP. If you experience a fever and/or rash call 111 immediately. This can be signs of sepsis (which can come from any infection, even a graze on your heel caused by tight shoes!).
Sepsis is a serious problem currently as it is not being recognised quickly enough by both those affected and medical staff. Sepsis (poisoning of the blood) can be fatal in a short amount of time and can result from ANY cut or infection anytime, not just animal bites. If you need to call 111 or your GP please ensure you advise medical staff you have been bitten by an animal. It is not unusual for symptoms to appear two weeks after the bite.
All this said, the problems coming from zoonotic pathogens (those transmitted by animals) are rare. They are easily treated when recognised. In all the years I have kept rats I have never ever been bitten by one. Ensure you keep your pets clean and tidy and thorough wash hands and areas they visit when out and about. General self hygiene. This may be more challenging with younger children. Those who are immune compromised (like the lady who died of the rat bite which has recently re entered the news) are at a higher risk of infection from animals (not just bites but pets in general) due to their immune system already being strained from existing infections.
Cats pose a serious health risk to pregnant women and their unborn child. But you don’t hear about these cases in the news because people like to hear about the pets they don’t keep. Dogs and cats can bring in to the home a wide array of pathogens to a family home, but again, this isn’t talked about.
I hope this has helped rat owners have a more informed view of the risks rats and pets in general pose. Most importantly, I hope this has given anyone an awareness of how to spot the signs of infection, when before they might not have known that any infection can be serious.
Immediately rinse the bite in clean running water, removing any debris
Stop the bleeding, depending on the size of the cut will depend on how you go about this (a dog bite could very well need emergency medical assistance due to blood loss etc). If this is a rat bite, applying pressure will soon stop the bleeding. Use a clean item (e.g. kitchen roll).
When the bleeding has stopped, clean the cut again with antiseptic wash and cover with a clean bandage or sterile plaster to prevent infection.
After any animal bite, you should seek medical advise from your local GP.
Signs of infection to cuts can include;
Swelling, redness, pain at the site of cut
Puss formation
Feeling generally unwell
A high temperature
Swollen glands (glands are under your chin, in your armpits or in your groin).
A rash, of any kind, anywhere (may be more likely on hands but anywhere a rash appears is not good)
If you have any of these symptoms in ANY cuts (especially if you think a cut is not healing well), contact your GP. If you experience a fever and/or rash call 111 immediately. This can be signs of sepsis (which can come from any infection, even a graze on your heel caused by tight shoes!).
Sepsis is a serious problem currently as it is not being recognised quickly enough by both those affected and medical staff. Sepsis (poisoning of the blood) can be fatal in a short amount of time and can result from ANY cut or infection anytime, not just animal bites. If you need to call 111 or your GP please ensure you advise medical staff you have been bitten by an animal. It is not unusual for symptoms to appear two weeks after the bite.
All this said, the problems coming from zoonotic pathogens (those transmitted by animals) are rare. They are easily treated when recognised. In all the years I have kept rats I have never ever been bitten by one. Ensure you keep your pets clean and tidy and thorough wash hands and areas they visit when out and about. General self hygiene. This may be more challenging with younger children. Those who are immune compromised (like the lady who died of the rat bite which has recently re entered the news) are at a higher risk of infection from animals (not just bites but pets in general) due to their immune system already being strained from existing infections.
Cats pose a serious health risk to pregnant women and their unborn child. But you don’t hear about these cases in the news because people like to hear about the pets they don’t keep. Dogs and cats can bring in to the home a wide array of pathogens to a family home, but again, this isn’t talked about.
I hope this has helped rat owners have a more informed view of the risks rats and pets in general pose. Most importantly, I hope this has given anyone an awareness of how to spot the signs of infection, when before they might not have known that any infection can be serious.