Tag

Rats

All articles tagged with #rats

local-news3 days ago•272 min saved

Rats Take Over: 12 U.S. Cities With the Worst Rodent Problems

A House Digest article republished by AOL ranking 12 U.S. cities with the highest rat activity based on Yelp’s Infestation Index, linking warmer weather and dense urban areas to more rodents. Los Angeles tops the list, followed by San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, and others including Washington, D.C., Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Boston, Portland, and Philadelphia, with residents facing home damage and health risks from rodent-borne diseases like salmonellosis, hantavirus, and leptospirosis.

via AOL.com|

#cities #climate-change #infestation

health1 month ago•4 min saved

Berkeley Faces Leptospirosis Risk Near Harrison Street Encampment

Berkeley public health officials warn of leptospirosis after dogs and rats tested positive at the Harrison Street encampment, prompting a recommended 1/3-mile red zone buffer and urging residents to relocate and disinfect belongings. Cleanup and rodent control are planned but hampered by an ongoing injunction related to clearing the encampment, with no confirmed human cases yet. Guidance issued for pet vaccination and protective measures to prevent exposure near Codornices Creek and surrounding areas.

via The Berkeley Scanner|

#berkeley #health #homeless-encampment

health1 month ago•3 min saved

Berkeley Warns of Rat-Borne Leptospirosis at Harrison Street Encampment, Urges Relocation and Rodent Control

Berkeley health officials warned after animals at a Harrison Street homeless encampment tested positive for leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rats and capable of affecting dogs and humans. Residents are urged to relocate at least a third of a mile away due to ongoing rat infestations and transmission risk; dog and free-roaming cat owners are advised to vaccinate pets. Precautions include avoiding water in Codornices Creek and nearby standing water. Authorities are investigating the outbreak; cleanup and ongoing rodent control are expected to take about 30 days, but a federal injunction prevents full encampment clearance at Harrison Street as investigators work to curb spread to the surrounding area.

via KTVU|

#berkeley #encampment #health

public-safety1 month ago•7 min saved

Berkeley Leptospirosis Outbreak Ties Dogs and Rats at Northwest Encampment

Berkeley health officials warn of a leptospirosis outbreak linked to the Northwest Berkeley encampment near Eighth and Harrison, with two infected dogs detected last November and rats testing positive in Alameda County for the first time in five years; officials say the outbreak could persist until the camp is fully vacated for about 30 days to eradicate rat burrows, and have urged caution around standing water while offering dog vaccine vouchers as legal challenges over encampment removals continue.

via Berkeleyside|

#berkeley #encampment #leptospirosis

health1 month ago•24 min saved

Berkeley Alerts About Rat-Borne Leptospirosis Near Encampments

Berkeley health officials warned that leptospirosis, a treatable but potentially deadly rat-borne disease, has been detected in and around a homeless encampment near Harrison Street, with numerous rats and at least two dogs testing positive in 2025. An alert urges encampment residents to leave a red zone bounded by San Pablo Avenue, Gilman Street, Codornices Creek and the railroad tracks, and the city plans to clear encampments and disinfect the area. The disease spreads via infected animal urine and can cause flu-like symptoms 2–30 days after exposure, potentially leading to kidney or liver failure or meningitis if untreated. UC Berkeley also urged residents to take standard precautions like good hygiene and keeping pets away from areas with rodent activity.

via Patch|

#berkeley #encampments #health

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Stress Triggers Cannabis Cravings in Rats, Study Finds

Research from Washington State University shows that rats with higher baseline stress hormone levels are more likely to self-administer cannabis, suggesting that long-term stress biology may influence cannabis-seeking behavior, similar to patterns observed in humans.

via SciTechDaily|

#behavioral-study #biological-predictors #cannabis

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Roommate Genes and Social Living Influence Your Gut Microbiome

A rat study shows that not only do individual genes influence gut bacteria, but social contact with genetically different rats can also shape one's microbiome, suggesting that genetics and social interactions jointly affect gut bacteria and potentially human health.

via ScienceDaily|

#genes #gut-microbiome #microbial-transfer

local-news2 months ago•1 min saved

Washington Warns of Toilet Rats After Floods

Washington state officials warn residents about rats potentially entering homes through toilets due to recent severe flooding, advising calm and specific steps to handle encounters, as floods have caused widespread damage and increased rodent intrusion risks.

via The Guardian|

#flooding #local-news #public-health

local-news2 months ago•5 min saved

Washington Warns of Toilet Rats After Heavy Rain and Flooding

Heavy rains in Western Washington have led to an increase in rats entering homes through toilets, prompting public health advice to keep toilet lids down and use traps if necessary. Incidents are linked to aging sewer systems and combined sewer overflows during storms, which can allow rats to access residential plumbing. Residents are advised to remain cautious and follow safety tips to handle such situations.

via KUOW|

#flooding #local-news #public-health

health2 months ago•1 min saved

Washington health officials warn of potential sewer rats after heavy rains

Health officials warn residents in King County, Washington, about the possibility of rats appearing in toilets after recent heavy rains and flooding, and provide tips for safely removing them or contacting pest control if needed.

via KOMO|

#flooding #health #pest-control

science5 months ago•3 min saved

Oxytocin Boosts Empathy and Reciprocity

Researchers found that oxytocin in the orbitofrontal cortex promotes reciprocity and empathy in rats, reducing free-riding and stabilizing cooperative behavior through internal motivation rather than external enforcement.

via Neuroscience News|

#cooperation #empathy #oxytocin

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Finger Length as an Indicator of Sexual Behavior and Preferences

A study from Japan found that in rats, the ratio of the second to fourth finger (2D:4D) can predict sexual activity and preference, suggesting a link between prenatal hormone exposure and adult sexual traits, with potential implications for understanding human behavior.

via Earth.com|

#2d4d-ratio #biological-markers #prenatal-hormones

health8 months ago•1 min saved

Boston Rats Carry Deadly Disease, Study Finds

A six-year study by Tufts University found that rats in Boston carry the bacteria responsible for leptospirosis, a potentially deadly disease that could become more prevalent with climate change, posing risks to humans and animals.

via The Boston Globe|

#boston #climate-change #disease

environmental-health8 months ago•74 min saved

Prenatal Glyphosate Exposure Linked to Cancer Risk in Rats

A long-term study on Sprague–Dawley rats found that exposure to glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides at levels similar to EU safety limits increased the incidence of multiple benign and malignant tumors, including leukemia, skin, liver, thyroid, and nerve tumors, supporting the classification of glyphosate as a probable carcinogen based on experimental evidence.

via BioMed Central|

#carcinogenicity #environmental-health #glyphosate

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Surprising Insights into Cocaine Addiction from Rat Studies

A study published in 'Drug and Alcohol Dependence' explored how aversive cues, like bitter tastes, affect addiction susceptibility in lab rats given cocaine. Researchers found three distinct responses: some rats avoided cocaine due to the aversive taste, others increased their intake despite it, and a surprising third group initially overindulged but then reduced consumption. These findings may help explain individual differences in addiction development and guide future research on the brain's response to drugs and aversive stimuli.

via New York Post |

#addiction #aversive-cues #cocaine