SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/small-rbf-spread

Besides a bite, how can rat bite fever spread from a pet rodent to a person?

Scratches, or contact with the rodent's saliva or pee.

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  1. Scratches, or contact with saliva or pee ✔
  2. Only from a deep bite that bleeds
  3. Only from wild rats, never pets

Why: Rat bite fever is caused by bacteria that live naturally in rats and other rodents. People can catch it from bites, scratches, or touching a rodent's saliva or pee, including by kissing pet rats.

Huh, didn't know that: Pet gerbils, mice and guinea pigs can also carry the germ, not only rats.

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What is a rat's favorite dish? Ratatouille.
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References

Answer: Scratches, or contact with saliva or pee. Rat bite fever is caused by bacteria that live naturally in rats and other rodents. People can catch it from bites, scratches, or touching a rodent's saliva or pee, including by kissing pet rats.

  1. About Rat-Bite Fever, CDC www.cdc.gov/rat-bite-fever/about/index.html
    RBF can spread to people through scratches, bites, or contact with a rodent's saliva or pee.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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