Are mice dangerous in your home?

Are house mice dangerous?

The short answer is is that house mice and other species are dangerous. A number of serious illnesses and health risks have been traced back and attributed to mice. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), mice spread numerous diseases worldwide. The diseases are spread to humans directly: through contact with mouse feces, saliva, or urine, mouse bites, and direct contact. Mouse diseases, however, can also be spread indirectly: ticks, fleas and mites that have fed on infected mice can transmit these diseases to humans

Mice make a mess. To mark a place as their own, they start to urinate and defecate all over the place. It is messy and nasty, but mouse waste also carries several known pathogens that can lead to health problems. For example:

• Hantavirus: This is most often found in deer mice. Found in rodent urine and feces, the virus can be transmitted to humans if they come into contact with either of those substances. What’s more, mouse feces and urine can dry and turn into dust, and that can carry the virus as well. Hantavirus starts like so many other illnesses with a fever and chills, combined with aches and pains. However, if not treated, it can quickly turn more serious and lead to shortness of breath and kidney failure, which can lead to death.
• Salmonella: Because rodents like mice go looking for food, and will eat just about anything they can get their tiny paws and sharp teeth on. That means they will walk over kitchen counters or all over your pantry and cabinets, tracking dirt and bacteria across other food substances that might also be in there. One of the most dangerous of those is Salmonella, which is often just referred to as food poisoning. Fevers and severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea are symptoms, and they can be dangerous.
• Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV) : This is a rodent-borne viral infectious disease that causes serious neurological problems, including aseptic meningitis (inflammation of the meninges that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is primarily carried by the house mouse, but hamsters in contact with wild mice at pet stores can also carry the disease. Individuals become infected with LCM after exposure to fresh urine, saliva, droppings, or nesting materials. 

Mice are often covered in parasites like ticks and fleas, which can carry and spread diseases like:

• Lyme disease :This is transmitted via ticks, which mice often carry with them. Ticks can easily become an infestation, and they can transmit this very serious, very health-averse disease which can have long-term effects.
• Plague : The bubonic plague was thought to be caused by mice and rats, but it turned out to be caused by the fleas they carried. Fleas eat blood, just like ticks and mosquitoes, and can transmit this potentially lethal disease.
• Colorado tick fever : This is another very serious and life-threatening disease transmitted by ticks carried by rodents like mice.

There are other mouse-related diseases linked to the parasites they carry. Getting rid of mice inside your home is more than just saving the furniture from having holes chewed in it; it can be dangerous to leave them on the loose. If you've come into contact with mice, be sure to take the proper steps and seek medical treatment if necessary.

What are the health risks to mice in the house?

In short, mice pose two main dangers: they can contaminate food and surfaces with disease‐bearing droppings, and they can chew wiring or wood, creating both hygiene and fire hazards. Bites are rare,  typically only occurring if a mouse is cornered, so never try to catch one by hand. Instead, keep food sealed, clean up crumbs, use traps, and call a professional at the first sign of droppings or wall activity to resolve the issue safely and effectively.

Due to the potential risk presented by mice, relying on DIY solutions and natural repellents can be risky.  They rarely target the cause of an infestation and are unlikely to work as a long-term solution.

Can mice kill you?

While mice themselves aren't lethal, the illnesses they carry can be. Certain mouse diseases, like hantavirus and LCM, can become serious and even life-threatening without treatment. Indirect exposure, such as breathing in dust contaminated by mouse droppings or coming into contact with rodent urine, poses significant health risks.

Another danger is the impact of a mouse infestation left unchecked. Mice nesting in insulation or chewing wires in hidden spaces can lead to hazards like electrical fires. Staying protected with proper rodent control measures is key. Our pest control technicians can help assess the risk and take the right steps to protect your home and family.

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