Wildlife Diseases 101: What Homeowners Need to Know

HWCS Expert Team

We often talk about the structural damage wildlife causes, but the biological threat is far more serious. Zoonotic diseases are illnesses that can be transmitted from animals to humans. While we don’t want to cause panic, awareness is the best prevention.

1. Rabies

  • Carriers: Bats, Raccoons, Skunks, Foxes, Coyotes.
  • Transmission: Bite or scratch; saliva entering an open wound or mucous membrane.
  • The Risk: Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear.
  • Precaution: If you wake up and find a bat in your bedroom, do not let it out. It must be captured and tested by health officials because bat bites are so small they can go unnoticed during sleep. Call a professional immediately.

2. Histoplasmosis

  • Carriers: Bats and Birds.
  • Transmission: Inhalation of fungal spores found in dried guano (droppings).
  • The Risk: Can cause severe respiratory infection, resembling tuberculosis or pneumonia. It can be fatal for those with weakened immune systems.
  • Precaution: Never sweep or vacuum dry bat/bird droppings without wetting them down first and wearing a rated respirator (N95 or better). Ideally, hire professionals for cleanup.

3. Leptospirosis

  • Carriers: Rodents, Raccoons, Opossums.
  • Transmission: Contact with urine or soil/water contaminated with urine.
  • The Risk: Kidney and liver damage.
  • Precaution: Wear gloves when gardening if wildlife is active. Keep pets vaccinated.

4. Baylisascaris (Raccoon Roundworm)

  • Carriers: Raccoons.
  • Transmission: Ingesting eggs found in raccoon feces or contaminated soil.
  • The Risk: The larvae migrate through the body, attacking the eyes, organs, and brain.
  • Precaution: Keep sandboxes covered. Raccoons love to use them as latrines.

5. Hantavirus

  • Carriers: Deer Mice, White-footed Mice.
  • Transmission: Inhaling dust contaminated with rodent urine/droppings.
  • The Risk: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a severe respiratory disease with a high mortality rate.
  • Precaution: Do not sweep mouse droppings. Spray them with bleach solution and wipe them up while wearing a mask.

The takeaway? Don’t touch the wildlife, and don’t touch their waste. If you have an infestation, the cleanup is a biohazard situation best left to the experts at HWCS.