While mice may seem like tiny, harmless rodents, they can pose health risks if not handled properly. Do mice carry diseases? Yes, and the diseases can be transmitted to humans. It is crucial to understand how diseases are spread, the details of each disease, and how to avoid them. One of the safest ways is to allow qualified professionals, such as those at Critter Control, to eliminate any disease risks.
How Do Mice Spread Diseases to People?
Mice can spread diseases to people in various ways, some more obvious than others. You may not realize that what seems like a simple task — like getting rid of a mouse — can lead to accidental exposure to diseases. Examples of how diseases are spread include:
Contaminated Surfaces
Wherever a mouse travels, it leaves behind urine and feces trails. They usually travel along countertops, floors, baseboards, appliances, and pantries in search of food. If you clean these areas without proper protection, you will expose yourself to diseases.
Airborne Particles
Mouse urine and feces harbor disease-causing organisms and can harbor mold spores that can float through the air. If mice build nests in your air ventilation systems, the spores can travel throughout your home and into your living spaces, where they linger until they are inhaled.
Direct Contact
Handling a live mouse puts you at risk of being bitten or scratched and of contracting a disease. Bacteria in mouse saliva and under their nails can lead to dangerous infections. Handling a dead mouse means you may get parasites that are still alive on the rodent’s body. Parasites also carry diseases.
Contaminated Food
Mice contaminate cereals, grains, and other groceries they can access through packaging they can chew, such as plastic or cardboard, or by nibbling on leftovers left out on the counter. If you accidentally consume contaminated food, you may also ingest pathogens left behind by the mice.
To avoid these risks and protect your family and pets from diseases, contact a professional who can help.
Most Common Diseases Carried by Mice
Hantavirus and the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Hantavirus is transmitted through mouse saliva, urine, and droppings. It mimics the flu, and doctors may misdiagnose you based on your symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, coughing, digestive issues, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Hantavirus is a serious disease that comes from rodents. There is no anti-viral treatment, medical professionals can only provide supportive care as the body works to heal itself.
It spreads to people through airborne micro-particles picked up from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. This can happen when hidden contamination is disturbed in areas like attics or during improper cleanup. Many people vacuum or dry sweep feces and urine without realizing it can release particles into the air that may be inhaled in the home.
Because of this, cleanup needs to be handled carefully. Trained professionals are the safest option, with proper safety gear, sanitization products, and the knowledge needed to fully remove traces of rodent activity.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
LCM is primarily hosted in the house mouse and transmitted by bite or exposure to their bodily fluids. Initial flu-like symptoms may also include a sore throat, cough, testicular pain, and digestive issues.
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning that starts in the intestinal tracts of rodents. You may get this by accidentally eating foods contaminated with mouse droppings or by handling their urine or droppings. You may experience diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and stomach cramps.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is also a form of food poisoning. Initial symptoms make you feel like you have the flu, with fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, vomiting, and diarrhea. This illness can also occur from accidentally eating contaminated food or handling urine or feces.
Tularemia
Tularemia is a bacterium that can trigger inflammation in your lymph glands, eyes, and throat. Sub-symptoms include mouth sores, flu-like symptoms, and breathing troubles. Tularemia may be contracted by handling contaminated food or by inhaling spores that float through the air in dust.
Parasite-Borne Mice Diseases
Parasites latch onto mice and hide in their fur. If you get close to or handle a mouse, you risk contracting a parasite. If they are infected with bacteria, you can get sick. Some of the most common parasites found on rodents include:
- Ticks, which vary by region, can spread diseases such as Lyme disease and tularemia.
- Fleas can indirectly spread diseases such as tularemia and trigger allergies.
Ticks and fleas can also put you at risk for tapeworms, allergies, and skin irritations. Fortunately, there are specific steps you can take to avoid contracting ticks, fleas, and other parasites.
What NOT to Do
When encountering a mouse, try not to panic and rush to get rid of it. Using the wrong method can put you at greater risk of harm. Examples of what not to do include the following:
Do NOT Vacuum or Sweep Droppings
Many people vacuum or sweep feces and urine without realizing they release spores into the air, which can be inhaled by anyone in the home, potentially causing respiratory problems and other issues.
The best cleaning solution is provided by professionals who have proper safety gear, sanitization products, and know how to remove all traces of mouse activity.
Do NOT Handle Live or Dead Mice
Homeowners who find a dead mouse may think it is okay to pick it up by the tail and fling it outdoors. However, this is not safe because you can accidentally come into contact with the mouse’s still-living parasites or its body fluids, sharp teeth, and claws. You may also expose pets to diseases.
Instead, put the mouse in a container, compost it, bury it, or burn it. Or let the professionals who use personal protective equipment (PPE) help you avoid diseases from mice, whether they are alive or dead.
Do NOT Dispose of Mice Nests
Mice nests can harbor viruses, bacteria, and parasites that you find in other areas of your home because rodents leave urine and mouse droppings where they sleep. Disturbing a nest releases spores into the air, exposing your family to diseases like hantavirus. Removing a nest requires disinfectant, proper disposal in sealed containers, and safety gear to avoid contact.
Professional mouse control technicians have the best commercial sanitization products and equipment to ensure you and your family do not suffer accidental exposure while addressing your mouse problem.
How Critter Control Protects You
The experts at Critter Control use a step-by-step process for mice removal in your home:
- Inspection
- Safe removal
- Sanitation
- Prevention
If you think you have a mouse problem, contact Critter Control today. They can answer questions about specific mouse diseases, like “What diseases do house mice carry?” More importantly, our technicians can effectively resolve your issue, ensuring you are not at risk of mice or disease.
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