I was talking to a lady and I happened to mention I had rats... she said that her husban and son had been bitten by a pet rat and both got rat fever and were in the hospital for over a week...my question doesn't the rat have to be sick to give a human that I mean if you get bitten by a rat it does not mean you are going to get this and I think she was trying to make it out to be worse than it is she said anyone that is bitten by any rat can and will get it and all rats give it out what is this and how do you truly get it? sorry it's long!!