You wouldn't think so. Not to look at one, anyway. Your typical mouse is only going to be about 2" to 8" long. But, what makes mice so dangerous is actually significantly smaller. When these creatures get into your home, they can carry harmful bacteria, microscopic viruses, and tiny parasitic bugs. So, putting aside the fact that mice can chew the wires in your home and cause a house fire, let's take a closer look at these smaller dangers.
Harmful Bacteria
Mice are always looking for food. This brings wild mice into some fairly nasty places. Can you imagine doing a trash run on the back of a trash truck all day long, and sitting down to a meal without washing your hands? Well, when mice go foraging, they don't think twice about what they rub their bodies on and then they come inside your kitchen and pantry and wander around to their hearts content! This can and does introduce bacteria to your food storage areas, kitchen counters, and cutting board surface. These bacteria are invisible to the naked eye, but powerful enough to bring a strong man to his knees with flu-like symptoms.
Microscopic Viruses
Mice can carry many viruses that are also invisible to the naked eye. These diseases are spread through exposure to feces, urine, and nesting materials. The most significant of these is Hantavirus, which can be spread by deer mice and white-footed mice when nesting materials or waste products are stirred up. Though this virus is invisible to our eyes, it is powerful enough to cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a dangerous respiratory condition that can be fatal. Symptoms include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, chills, abdominal cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Another significant virus is Lymphocytic choriomeningitis. This virus, when it spreads to humans, begins with fever, malaise, lack of appetite, aches, nausea, and vomiting. But it can turn into a neurologic disease with far-reaching implications.
Parasites
When mice come into your home, they may not come alone. Mice can carry fleas, mites, lice, and ticks in with them. As you can imagine, each of these parasites brings their own set of issues to the table. If that mouse running around your home at night has a deer tick on it, you and your family may be exposed to Lyme disease. If that little mouse has fleas on it, this can cause pets to develop tapeworms, cat scratch disease, flea allergy dermatitis, and Haemobartonellosis. Fleas are also linked to the spread of the bubonic plague. Though plague is extremely rare for humans in these modern times, pets can still get it.
They may be tiny and cute, but mice can pose a significant danger to your home and your health. Get your home protected with rodent control from an experienced professional like the experts here at Action Pest Control. We know that the last thing any of us needs is a mysterious illness to fight. We have affordable home pest control services that will keep these and many other pests out of your home and away from your family. Contact us today and choose the TermaPest program that best fits you. Take Action & get Action!