What is the disease that affects mice and rats called? - briefly
Murine typhus is the flea‑borne rickettsial infection that commonly affects mice and rats. It is caused by Rickettsia typhi and can be transmitted to humans through contaminated flea feces.
What is the disease that affects mice and rats called? - in detail
Rodent populations are susceptible to several infectious conditions that are widely recognized in veterinary and public‑health literature. The most frequently cited illnesses include:
- Murine typhus – caused by Rickettsia typhi and transmitted by fleas that infest rats and mice. Clinical signs in the hosts are often mild, but the pathogen can be transferred to humans, producing fever, headache and rash.
- Hantavirus infection – hantaviruses such as Seoul virus reside in the lungs of Rattus spp. and Mus spp. Shedding occurs through urine, feces and saliva; human exposure can lead to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) – an arenavirus maintained in wild and laboratory mice. Infected rodents show no overt disease, yet vertical transmission and contamination of bedding may cause aseptic meningitis in humans.
- Rat‑bite fever – caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis (or Spirillum minus in Asia). The bacterium colonizes the oral cavity of rats; a bite or scratch introduces it into the skin, producing fever, arthritis and rash.
- Mycoplasma pulmonis – a primary respiratory pathogen of laboratory mice and rats. It induces chronic bronchitis, otitis and rhinitis, leading to reduced growth and reproductive performance.
- Ectromelia (mousepox) – a poxvirus infection exclusive to mice. It manifests as skin lesions, necrosis of internal organs and high mortality in susceptible strains.
Each of these agents follows a distinct transmission route—vector‑borne, aerosol, direct contact, or vertical—and displays characteristic pathology in the rodent host. Control strategies focus on environmental sanitation, vector management, quarantine of affected colonies, and, where available, vaccination or antimicrobial therapy. Monitoring serology and clinical signs remains essential for early detection and prevention of zoonotic spillover.