Mice may seem adorable and we might side with them when we see them in Disney movies or on TV against the cat, but in real life, mice are quite dangerous. Besides the damage that they do to the home, they also carry a slew of serious diseases that can land you in the hospital or worse.
How the disease is spread
Mice will spread diseases in one of three ways: through their waste, through their parasites, and through their bites. Mouse droppings and urine are the two most frequent signs that you have an infestation, but they are also main vectors for diseases. Through their waste, mice will spread illnesses such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis, salmonella and the hantavirus. The waste will carry diseases both when it is fresh and when it is old and dry, in the latter case being able to spread a lot of airborne viruses.
Mice are also known to be a main draw for a range of parasites. Since mice have to run through thick grass when they are outdoors, they will often catch a tick or two as they go about their business. These ticks may carry diseases such as the Colorado tick fever or Lyme disease, and when the mouse enters the home, the ticks may switch from it to you, and infect you with one of these illnesses. Mice can also carry fleas that have the bubonic plague.
Finally, mice will spread diseases through their bites. Now, mice do not bite people often, but when they do bite for whatever reason, they can spread bacteria that cause rodent-bite fever. On top of that, mice can also spread diseases simply by being present in the home. They will often touch garbage which can be contaminated, and then walk around with the contaminants on their coats. If they touch food or water sources, they will increase the odds of spreading the infection.
This is why it’s important to get rid of a house mouse infestation as soon as you see the first signs that these rodents are in your home. Mice reproduce very quickly, and a few mice can turn into an overgrown nest in a matter of weeks. If you suspect that you have a mouse infestation, contact us today, and we will come over and get rid of the rodents for you.
