What do mice transmit? - briefly
Mice serve as reservoirs for hantavirus, Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, salmonella, leptospirosis, and for ectoparasites that transmit plague, Lyme disease, and other bacterial infections. They also carry various helminths and protozoa that can infect humans through contact with contaminated food or environments.
What do mice transmit? - in detail
Mice are reservoirs for a wide range of infectious agents that can reach humans through several pathways. Direct contact with fur, saliva, or bite wounds introduces pathogens into the skin. Inhalation of aerosolized particles from dried urine, feces, or nesting material transmits agents that survive in the environment. Contamination of food or surfaces occurs when rodents leave excreta on stored goods, and ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks serve as mechanical vectors.
Viral agents
- Hantavirus: spread by inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta; causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV): transmitted through contact with contaminated secretions; may cause meningitis, encephalitis, or congenital infection.
- Mouse adenovirus and murine norovirus: occasionally infect humans handling laboratory colonies; produce gastrointestinal symptoms.
Bacterial agents
- Salmonella enterica: shed in feces; contaminates food and water, leading to gastroenteritis.
- Yersinia pestis: historically transmitted by fleas feeding on infected rodents; causes plague with bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic forms.
- Leptospira interrogans: excreted in urine; enters through skin abrasions or mucous membranes, producing leptospirosis.
- Bartonella spp.: carried by fleas; may cause cat‑scratch disease–like illness.
Parasitic agents
- Hymenolepis nana (dwarf tapeworm): eggs present in rodent feces; ingestion leads to intestinal infection.
- Protozoa such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium spp.: contaminate water sources via fecal deposits; cause diarrheal disease.
- Ectoparasites (fleas, mites, ticks): acquire pathogens from mice and transmit them to humans, exemplified by Bartonella and Rickettsia species.
Allergenic material
- Urine proteins and dander act as potent indoor allergens; exposure triggers asthma and rhinitis in sensitized individuals.
Effective control relies on rodent exclusion, sanitation to limit contamination, and vector management. Personal protective equipment reduces occupational risk for laboratory personnel and pest control workers. Early recognition of symptoms and prompt laboratory testing facilitate diagnosis and treatment of rodent‑borne infections.