What infections do mice transmit to humans? - briefly
Mice are vectors for several zoonoses, notably Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Salmonella enterica, Leptospira spp., and Bartonella species. Additional agents such as Yersinia pestis and certain parasites have been reported in rare cases.
What infections do mice transmit to humans? - in detail
Mice serve as reservoirs for a range of pathogens that can reach humans through bites, contaminated food, aerosolized droppings, urine, or ectoparasite vectors. The most clinically significant agents include:
- Hantavirus – primarily Sin Nombre virus in North America; inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, characterized by fever, myalgia, respiratory distress, and a mortality rate of 30‑40 %.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) – transmitted by direct contact with infected secretions or bites; produces febrile illness, meningitis, or encephalitis, with higher risk to pregnant women and immunocompromised patients.
- Leptospira interrogans – spirochete spread via contaminated urine; entry through skin abrasions or mucous membranes leads to leptospirosis, presenting with flu‑like symptoms, jaundice, renal failure, and, in severe cases, Weil’s disease.
- Salmonella enterica – shed in feces; ingestion of contaminated food or water causes salmonellosis, marked by gastrointestinal cramps, diarrhea, and occasional bacteremia.
- Yersinia pestis – historically responsible for plague; transmission through flea bites that have fed on infected mice; bubonic form produces painful lymphadenopathy, while septicemic and pneumonic variants can be rapidly fatal.
- Bartonella spp. – transmitted by fleas or lice feeding on mice; Bartonella henselae may cause cat‑scratch disease‑like symptoms, whereas B. quintana can lead to trench fever with relapsing fever and headache.
- Rickettsia typhi – murine typhus spread by fleas; produces fever, rash, and headache; untreated infection may progress to severe systemic involvement.
- Streptobacillus moniliformis – agent of rat‑bite fever, also reported from mouse bites; symptoms include fever, rash, polyarthralgia, and occasionally endocarditis.
- Toxoplasma gondii – mice act as intermediate hosts; humans acquire infection by consuming undercooked meat from infected animals or through environmental contamination; disease may be asymptomatic or cause lymphadenopathy, ocular lesions, and congenital complications.
Each pathogen exhibits distinct epidemiology, clinical picture, and preventive measures. Reducing exposure involves sealing food storage, controlling rodent infestations, wearing protective equipment when cleaning areas with droppings, and managing ectoparasite populations. Early recognition and appropriate antimicrobial or antiviral therapy improve outcomes for most of these infections.