The visual was both striking and unsettling: dozens of rats scurrying about a property in the heart of downtown Huntington this summer.

In videos that went viral , they were seen taking over a vacant property not far from popular restaurants . The sight was a shock to many residents, who might be used to seeing the rodents only on the streets of New York City and in other urban settings.

And it prompted a question: Does Long Island have a rat problem?

Health and municipal officials said that while large infestations are rare on the Island, rats exist in every town and village — in some places more than others — and keeping their numbers low requires diligence. Nassau and Suffolk counties' health departments combined received more than 1,400 rat complaints last year.

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