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Opossums
& Their Diseases
Opossums
are carriers of many diseases: tuberculosis, relapsing fever, herpes virus, tularemia, salmonella, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis,
coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, Chagas Disease, yellow fever, and rabies (rarely). They are important reservoirs for leptospirosis
(hemorrhagic jaundice) in wildlife and humans. Leptospirosis is transmitted through the urine and
feces of infected animals. Humans frequently pick up the disease by eating unwashed produce or windfall fruit, or by putting
unwashed hands to their mouth (gum, cigarettes, etc.). Opossums are also heavily infested with fleas, ticks, mites and lice
which are known carriers and transmitters of disease.
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