For the most part we humans are a curious lot. We’re always looking under rocks, climbing mountains, and experimenting with new ideas to see what’s there or what will happen. It’s no wonder so many people say travel is one of their favorite pastimes. The yearning to visit different locations burns brightly in many souls.

This craving filled our historical records with travel stories. The first travelers set out long before anyone had a way to record their journeys for future generations. What little we know comes from oral tradition. Scribes eventually developed writing systems and began documenting achievements both past and present. These days, many people report their journeys online using pictures.

There have been times only a few intrepid explorers braved the unknown to see what lay beyond. At other times epic migration fueled discovery, resettlement and sometimes conflict. The world has benefitted from exploration and trade…it’s also suffered serious unintentional consequences.

When Christopher Columbus “discovered” the West Indies in 1492, he had with him a lot of things residents of the “New World” had never seen. Horses, pigs, cattle, and sheep were useful animals that were new to the natives. The Spaniards also had guns, cannons, and armor which were (pardon the pun)  “a two-edged sword.” But Columbus’ men also carried illnesses for which the natives had no immunity. Plus, hidden in the cargo might have been the biggest scourge of all: disease-bearing black rats.

These rodents were impossible to eradicate, and once on board a sailing vessel they had ample places to hide, reproduce, and more than enough to eat. It’s safe to say every ship from the Old World (including Africa) carried them. Before long these carriers of contagion had colonized the New World more thoroughly than their human counterparts.

When the Mayflower left England in 1620, the Americas had had nearly 130 years of exposure to rats as previous explorers carried unwanted vermin along with desirable products, domesticated animals, and plants. Records reveal the Pilgrims themselves suffered rat-borne illnesses during their trip across the Atlantic.

Not long after landing Pilgrim scouts found a deserted Native American Indian settlement, which they later discovered was called Patuxet in the Wampanoag language. Skeletons laid where dwellings had been. Unkempt gardens dotted the area. Pressing inland, scouts observed more skulls and bones lying on top of the ground. Clearly these people had suffered a tragic and extraordinary end. 

Pilgrim leader William Bradford was aware an “Indean fever” epidemic had affected the area during the preceding few years but was unaware of the magnitude. Historians estimate that between 1616 and 1619, disease killed up to 90 percent of all coastal Indians. The outbreak ended just a year before the Mayflower landed. This explains why Mayflower Pilgrims found a more-or-less empty land, rather than being greeted by curious (or hostile) native warriors.

Today, “Indean Fever” is known by its medical name: leptospirosis.  It’s caused by bacterium that lives in animal hosts and is transmitted through urine in fresh water. Black rats, (also called roof rats or ship rats) are its favorite host. This species originated in China and southeast Asia but has spread worldwide as a result of exploration and trade. Black rats are the only animal whose kidneys can sustain continuous Leptospira infections without dying. Consequently, they are the ultimate carrier of this malady.

FYI: Leptospira is classified in a family of spiral-shaped bacteria called spirochetes. It’s in the same group of germs that cause syphilis and Lyme disease. (Clearly these microbes should be steadfastly avoided!)

The effects of unexpected consequences like this can’t be understated. Asian rats made their way to the Middle East and Europe, where they stowed away on sailing vessels and eventually spread their populations and diseases into the Americas.

Because disease had devastated native populations, European colonization of New England proceeded much quicker than it might have otherwise. This is the value of learning history in depth: one can better understand both interconnectedness of events, but also the importance of taking responsible preventative measures.

Although not the scourge it was four hundred years ago, leptospirosis still exists, and black rats remain a nuisance that must be managed. The National Library of Medicine stresses “animal vaccination and eradication of rodents are important.” You really can’t afford to give quarter to these pests!

KC Pest Control is ready and able to handle all kinds of rodent infestations and develop preventative plans tailored for your situation.  Contact us today at (405) 679-8729 for a consultation and to schedule service. We’re ready to help!