What illnesses can result from a mouse bite? - briefly
A mouse bite may introduce bacterial infections such as rat‑bite fever (spirillosis), leptospirosis, hantavirus, and, in rare cases, tetanus or rabies if the wound is untreated. Prompt cleaning of the wound and professional medical assessment markedly lower the risk of serious disease.
What illnesses can result from a mouse bite? - in detail
Mouse bites constitute a direct route for zoonotic pathogens. The wound introduces skin flora and organisms carried in the oral cavity of the rodent, leading to a spectrum of infectious diseases.
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Bacterial infections
• Streptobacillus moniliformis – causes rat‑bite fever, characterized by fever, rash, arthralgia, and possible septicemia.
• Spirillum minus – responsible for Sodoku disease, presenting with recurrent ulcerated nodules and lymphadenitis.
• Pasteurella multocida – produces rapid onset cellulitis, purulent discharge, and may progress to abscess formation.
• Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes – common skin pathogens that can cause localized cellulitis, erysipelas, or deeper soft‑tissue infection.
• Bartonella henselae – occasionally transmitted, leading to regional lymphadenopathy.
• Tetanus – Clostridium tetani spores introduced through the bite may result in tetanus if immunization status is inadequate. -
Viral infections
• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) – acquired from infected mice, may cause febrile illness, meningitis, or encephalitis.
• Hantavirus – primarily transmitted by inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta, but rare cases reported after bites, leading to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. -
Parasitic considerations
• Rare transmission of Toxoplasma gondii or other protozoa through bite wounds has been documented, potentially causing systemic infection in immunocompromised hosts.
Prompt medical evaluation is required. Recommended actions include thorough irrigation, debridement of devitalized tissue, administration of broad‑spectrum antibiotics covering Pasteurella species (e.g., amoxicillin‑clavulanate), and assessment of tetanus prophylaxis. In cases of suspected LCMV or hantavirus exposure, serologic testing and antiviral support should be considered.