Strep throat and rats?

[CardboardCastles]

I came down with a sore throat that I thought was allergies yesterday, then spent a few hours after work in the ER last night because my throat closed so I had hole about the size of a drinking straw to breathe through. I haven't gotten results yet, but the throat swelling 9 times out of 10 ends up being Strep B.

I vaguely remember reading ages ago that the rats can get it, but I could be way off base...Any fact in that? Should I be moving my boys out of my bedroom?

 

[Rachael]

I believe they can get it.

 

[SQ]

There is some controversy about whether rats can catch strep from people.
The organisms are supposed to be different ... streptocccus pyogenes in humans and streptocccus pneumoniae in rats.
But there have been some suspicious cases and it is recommended that people with strep throat stay away from rats.
(from the Rat Health Care book, www.ratfanclub.org)

Good to err on the side of caution imo.

 

[jorats]

I've read what SQ has written... that's it's not really the same but stay on the safe side and limit your exposure to them.