What infections can mice transmit? - briefly
Mice serve as reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens, such as hantavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Salmonella species, Leptospira bacteria, and parasites including rodent tapeworms and fleas that can carry Yersinia pestis. Transmission to humans occurs via bites, contaminated food or water, urine, or inhalation of aerosolized particles.
What infections can mice transmit? - in detail
Mice serve as reservoirs and vectors for a broad spectrum of pathogens that affect humans, livestock, and other wildlife. Their close contact with food stores, indoor environments, and outdoor habitats creates multiple routes of transmission, including direct contact, contamination of surfaces, aerosolized particles, and bites.
Bacterial agents
- Salmonella spp.: shed in feces, contaminates food and surfaces, causes gastroenteritis.
- Leptospira spp.: present in urine, spreads through water or soil, leads to leptospirosis with fever, jaundice, renal failure.
- Streptobacillus moniliformis: transmitted by bites or scratches, produces rat‑bite fever characterized by fever, rash, polyarthritis.
- Yersinia pestis: historically responsible for plague; transmitted by flea bites after mice serve as the bacterial reservoir.
- Campylobacter spp.: fecal shedding contaminates food, results in enterocolitis.
Viral agents
- Hantavirus (e.g., Sin Nombre, Seoul): inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV): spread through contaminated aerosols, direct contact, or organ transplantation; produces meningitis, encephalitis, or congenital abnormalities.
- Hepatitis E virus (genotype 3): transmitted via contaminated meat or environmental exposure, may cause acute hepatitis.
- Mousepox (ectromelia virus): primarily a laboratory concern, can affect immunocompromised individuals.
Parasitic agents
- Toxoplasma gondii: mice act as intermediate hosts; predators or humans ingest tissue cysts, leading to toxoplasmosis.
- Hymenolepis nana (dwarf tapeworm): eggs passed in feces, ingestion leads to gastrointestinal infection.
- Giardia duodenalis: cysts shed in feces contaminate water, cause diarrheal disease.
- Cryptosporidium spp.: oocysts in feces contaminate water and surfaces, result in cryptosporidiosis with watery diarrhea.
Fungal and other agents
- Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.: mice can carry spores on fur and furred surfaces, contributing to opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts.
Effective control relies on exclusion of rodents from food handling areas, proper sanitation, sealing entry points, and prompt removal of infestations. Personal protective equipment and hygiene practices reduce occupational exposure for laboratory and pest‑control personnel.