Rats in Boston may be spreading a potentially deadly disease, according to a Tufts University study.
The disease is called leptospirosis, which is caused by a bacterium called Leptospira. It is typically found in tropical areas, but a link has been found between rats and leptospirosis in other urban areas.
Researchers worked on the study for six years, testing different brown rats from the Boston area, including the Boston Public Garden and Boston Common. They found that most rat populations in Boston carry the disease-causing bacteria, which can infect both humans and animals…