WHAT
DISEASES
DO MICE
CARRY?
People tend to recoil at the
thought of a mouse running
through their house or business,
and this is for a good reason.
Like other wild animals, mice are
capable of spreading diseases
to humans.
Many of the most common diseases
that mice carry can have serious
effects on your health.
Knowing about the health risks posed
by mice will give you the ability
to protect yourself and emphasizes
the reasons why you don’t want
to let an infestation run wild.
Avoid Stirring Up
the Hantavirus
Stirring up dried mouse urine and
droppings can cause certain bacterial
and viral particles to go airborne.
Breathing in the pathogens can make
you extremely sick.
Deer mice are the most common type
to carry the Sin Nombre strain of the
hantavirus, which is found in Arizona.
You can catch this virus by being bitten
by a mouse.
It is also transmissible to humans through
dried particles that mice leave around
a building.
At first, the symptoms of hantavirus
can be similar to the flu.
Tell your doctor if you may have been
exposed while engaging in outdoor
activities or while cleaning up mouse
droppings around your house.
Be Aware
of Food-Borne
Illnesses
Mice love to nibble on many
of your favorite foods.
As they crawl through your food storage
areas, they can also track bacteria
such as salmonella across the surface.
While you may know to follow general food
safety practices while cooking, you may be
unaware that a mouse trampled through
a box of your favorite cereal.
Once you get exposed to the bacteria
when you eat, you could experience
uncomfortable food-related illness
symptoms, such as vomiting, stomach
cramping and diarrhea.
Know That the Plague
Still Exists
The plague is something that most people
assume is a worry that was left behind
during the Middle Ages.
In the United States, the plague is fairly
rare, but it still strikes dozens of people
every year.
Plague typically spreads when a flea bites
a mouse that is infected with the bacteria.
Then, the newly infected flea moves
on to bite a human.
Since you might not notice a flea bite
right away, you could be unaware that
you are infected until you begin
to experience symptoms.
The plague typically causes symptoms
in one to six days after the flea bite.
These symptoms are usually flu-like,
and they can reach severe levels fast.
Prompt treatment with antibiotics gives
you the best chances of surviving this
deadly illness.
Watch Out for Other
Parasite-Related Diseases
The plague isn’t the only parasite-related
disease that mice can carry into your home.
Lyme disease is another issue that can
happen when mice are infested with ticks.
The same is also true of Colorado tick fever.
If you have noticed more ticks than usual
around your house, there could be
a mouse infestation helping to spread
the problem, increasing your risk
of catching a dangerous disease.
When you spot signs of mice, keep
in mind that you must be extremely careful.
Trapping mice yourself can sometimes lead
to bites, leaving you vulnerable to catching
a disease. You can also catch an illness from
mice without having to touch one directly.
Leave mouse control tactics
to the professionals.
Eliminating the infestation as soon as
possible reduces the amount
of bacteria and viruses that get tracked
into your home.
You can also avoid a potentially
infectious bite by letting us handle
the dirty work.
When pest control has become too
much to handle, then it is best to take
a good look at your current approach,
and it may be time to call
in the professionals.
Custom Weed & Pest Control has
been in business since 1989, serving
the greater Phoenix metro area for
both residential and commercial.
We offer an affordable weed
and pest control package,
with customized service to meet
your specific needs.