Do Mice Spread Diseases?
Infected mice can spread diseases in several ways, causing issues in homes and a variety of businesses from restaurants to grocery stores. Handling rodents or cleaning up after them may expose you to a mouse bite or harmful bacteria. Mice are also known to harbor parasites that transmit pathogens.
To limit your risk of illness, it helps to know a few facts about the diseases mice carry.
What Diseases Do Mice Carry?
Airborne Diseases
Some New England mouse species carry hantavirus, which can cause severe respiratory disease in humans. The virus commonly spreads through particles of dried mouse urine, feces, and saliva in the air.
People mostly come in contact with these materials when they disturb rodent nests during cleaning. Without proper protection, it’s easy to inhale the dust of mouse waste by accident. Take care around infested areas to lower your chances of getting sick from mouse droppings.
Food-Borne Diseases
Mice frequently search for meals in the kitchens or stock rooms of homes, markets, and warehouses. This can be a real problem since the pests often contaminate food with bacteria, like Salmonella, from their waste. Eating or drinking tainted goods can lead to food poisoning and other ailments.
Tick-Borne Diseases
Some mouse diseases spread through ticks. These small parasites latch onto infected mice and drink their blood. They then use rodents to enter yards, houses, or stores. Ticks that bite people or pets may transmit babesiosis, anaplasmosis, plague, and Lyme disease.
Other Diseases
The pests pass on illnesses directly as well through mouse bites or scratches. However, this method is less common. Bacteria in rodent saliva can result in conditions such as rat-bite fever.
Dealing with a Mouse Problem
Mice negatively impact businesses and create serious health concerns. To reduce the odds of contamination, removing the pests quickly is key. Contact Waltham Pest Services to address rodent issues and avoid the risk of mouse diseases.