Insects such as lice, mites, and fleas infest rats and carry a number of infectious diseases. The roof rat is one of the many rodents that can carry disease. Body lice often lay their eggs in the seams of clothing. These are magnified lice eggs deposited along a seam. This is a good reason for not sharing clothing.
Fleas are blood-feeding insects.
Pain and itching results from an allergic reaction to the materials that the fleas inject into the skin at the time of the bite. This is a photograph of Pediculus humanus var. Head lice have become an increasing problem in schools and day care centers. Some grade schools have started programs to examine children for head lice. This is a photograph of a male Pediculus humanus var.