a. Habits. Kissing bugs commonly infest houses, hiding in crevices or sites that
are dark, obscure, and near sources of blood. Domestic types are usually more active
at night.
b. Control Methods. Spraying of sleeping quarters with an approved residual
insecticide is effectively against infestation. Removing litter used by bugs and rodents
for harborage is also a helpful control method.
Section VII. RODENT-BORNE DISEASES
5-21. RODENTS
The term "rodent" refers to any one of several animals including rats, mice,
squirrels, marmots, gophers, beavers, porcupines, and ground hogs. Rodents
discussed in this section, however, are limited to the domestic rats such as shown in
figure 5-13. Rats contaminate and destroy food supplies, damage buildings, cause fires
by gnawing the insulation of electric wires and conduits, and function as reservoirs of
diseases. Rodents are nocturnal and ordinarily do not move about during the day.
They move in narrow runs along buildings, walls, pipes, and overhead beams. Rodents
gnaw through materials to obtain food and shelter. Wood is not a barrier as they have
very sharp teeth that cut through it quickly. They are spoilers. They will take one bite
from many potatoes instead of eating one, sample every bag of flour, and eat from
every piece of meat, thus contaminating all of them. These pests damage far more food
than they eat.
Figure 5-13. Two domestic rodents. A Norway rat. B Roof rat.
5-22. RODENT-BORNE DISEASES
Rodents are carriers of several human diseases. Most of these diseases are
transmitted through an insect vector, but a few can also be transmitted by direct contact.
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