What infections do mice carry? - briefly
Mice serve as reservoirs for a range of zoonotic agents, including bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, Leptospira and Streptobacillus moniliformis, viral agents like hantavirus and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, and parasitic organisms such as Giardia and various pinworms. These infections can be transmitted to humans through direct contact, contaminated food or water, and aerosolized excreta.
What infections do mice carry? - in detail
Mice are reservoirs for a wide range of pathogens that can affect humans, livestock, and other wildlife. The most relevant groups are bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal agents.
Bacterial agents commonly found in wild and laboratory rodents include:
- Salmonella spp. – cause gastrointestinal illness; transmission occurs through contaminated food or direct contact with rodent feces.
- Listeria monocytogenes – can survive in rodent‑contaminated environments and lead to listeriosis when ingested.
- Leptospira interrogans – shed in urine; exposure results in leptospirosis, a febrile disease with renal involvement.
- Yersinia pestis – the plague bacterium; fleas feeding on infected mice can transmit the pathogen to humans.
- Streptobacillus moniliformis – responsible for rat‑bite fever; infection follows bites or scratches.
- Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp. – occasional colonizers that may contribute to opportunistic infections.
Viral pathogens carried by mice are numerous and include zoonotic agents:
- Hantaviruses (e.g., Seoul virus) – transmitted through aerosolized rodent excreta; cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) – spread by contact with contaminated secretions; can lead to meningitis or congenital infection.
- Arenaviruses – several species circulate in rodent populations, some capable of causing severe hemorrhagic disease.
- Mousepox (ectromelia virus) – primarily a laboratory concern but can affect wild populations.
- Murine norovirus – highly prevalent; may serve as a model for human norovirus studies.
- Sendai virus – respiratory pathogen in rodents, occasionally transmitted to humans with close exposure.
Parasitic infections are also frequent:
- Heligmosomoides polygyrus (intestinal nematode) – chronic gut infection, can modulate host immunity.
- Syphacia obvelata (pinworm) – common intestinal parasite; eggs spread via fecal contamination.
- Giardia duodenalis – protozoan causing diarrheal disease; cysts persist in water sources contaminated by rodent feces.
- Toxoplasma gondii – mice serve as intermediate hosts; tissue cysts become infectious to felids and, indirectly, to humans.
- Cestodes (e.g., Hymenolepis nana) – tapeworms that may complete their life cycle in rodents.
Fungal organisms occasionally colonize mice:
- Candida albicans – opportunistic yeast found on mucosal surfaces; can cause systemic infection in immunocompromised hosts.
- Dermatophytes (e.g., Trichophyton spp.) – skin‐infecting fungi that may be transferred to humans through contact.
The presence of antimicrobial‑resistant strains, especially methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended‑spectrum β‑lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae, has been documented in wild mouse populations, underscoring the role of rodents in the ecology of resistance genes.
In summary, mice harbor diverse bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal pathogens, many of which are zoonotic and capable of causing disease in humans and animals. Effective control measures require surveillance of rodent populations, strict sanitation, and prevention of direct contact with rodent excreta.