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For 4 centuries, from 1340 to 1740, Europe suffered from the bubonic plague! About 25 million people died and who was chosen as the culprit? The rattus rattus, or house rat:
rattus rattus is almost extinct in Germany.
Today, we know that humans can catch the plague from less than 230 animals (mostly rodents). The rat can only pass on the disease via the rat flea. The rat flea must be infected with Yersinia pestis. The bubonic plague can only be contracted from human to human. Since the rat flea can only live in a warm climate, and it's chances of survival are rather slim in Europe except from a few warm days in summer, the culprit for the terrible spreading of the plague may be found in the rather dire hygienic state of human settlements in medieval times.
Anyway, today's pet rats all descend from rattus norvegicus:
rattus norvegicus migrated from China to Europe
about 200 years ago. At first, the rats were only known in Asia, Europe
and Australia. Then they traveled as "blind passengers" on ships
to the New World. Since then, they have managed to populate the whole world.
(pics taken from the GU Tier-Ratgeber, "Ratten als Heimtiere", Autorin: Gisela Bulla)
Gloomy enuff for you, reader? Time for a change of topic? Click me 
and onward goes the journey!
