What can you catch from a mouse bite? - briefly
A mouse bite may transmit pathogens such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, and bacterial infections like Staphylococcus or Streptococcus, with rare cases of rabies. Prompt medical evaluation and prophylactic treatment are essential.
What can you catch from a mouse bite? - in detail
A bite from a laboratory or wild mouse can introduce a range of infectious agents. Transmission occurs when saliva, blood, or tissue contacts broken skin, allowing pathogens to enter the host’s circulation.
Bacterial infections are common. Species frequently implicated include:
- «Streptobacillus moniliformis», the cause of rat‑bite fever, which can also be transmitted by mouse bites; symptoms develop within 3‑10 days and may involve fever, rash, and joint pain.
- «Leptospira interrogans», responsible for leptospirosis; incubation lasts 2‑14 days, presenting with fever, headache, myalgia, and potentially renal or hepatic dysfunction.
- «Salmonella enterica» serovars, leading to gastroenteritis; onset is rapid, characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever.
- «Staphylococcus aureus» and «Streptococcus pyogenes», which can cause local cellulitis, abscess formation, or more severe systemic infection.
Viral agents, although less frequent, pose significant risk:
- «Hantavirus» species, particularly Seoul virus, are carried by rodents and can be transmitted through bites; the incubation period ranges from 1‑3 weeks, producing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
- «Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus» (LCMV) may be introduced via bite‑related exposure; after a 1‑2‑week incubation, patients experience fever, meningitis, or encephalitis.
- Rarely, «Arenavirus» strains can be transmitted, leading to severe febrile illness with neurologic involvement.
Parasitic transmission is uncommon but documented:
- «Toxoplasma gondii» cysts may be introduced if the mouse harbors the parasite; infection can remain asymptomatic or cause flu‑like symptoms, with higher risk for immunocompromised individuals.
Management requires immediate wound care: thorough irrigation, debridement of devitalized tissue, and prophylactic antibiotics covering streptococci and staphylococci (e.g., amoxicillin‑clavulanate). Tetanus immunization status must be verified. Specific antimicrobial therapy should be guided by culture results and regional resistance patterns. In cases of suspected viral exposure, early consultation with infectious‑disease specialists is advised; ribavirin may be considered for hantavirus, while supportive care remains mainstay for LCMV.
Preventive measures include controlling rodent populations, using personal protective equipment when handling mice, and avoiding direct contact with bite wounds. Prompt medical evaluation after any rodent bite reduces the likelihood of severe complications.