Mice Infestation Health Risks You Should Be Aware Of
If there is one formidable house pest that can cause real damage to your home, it’s any type of rodent. In the U.S., mice and rats are two of the most common rodent infestations that plague homeowners. In this article, we discuss the mice infestation health risks to humans and pets.
Rats and mice are scavengers by nature. This means they’ll take any opportunity to find food, water, and shelter, often setting up camp in your home because it offers easy access. The most common among these critters include house mice, field mice, and roof rats.
But the reality is that there are mice infestation health risks you need to be aware of as a homeowner. It’s not only about the structural damage these pests can cause. Read on to learn more.
Mice Infestation Signs
Due to their size, mice can easily weasel their way into your home through small openings in the exterior of your property. From there, they scope out their ideal nesting site and begin setting up a comfortable space, all while producing their offspring.
So, what are the most common mice infestation signs? Some of the dead giveaways to look for include mice droppings, gnawed areas of wood and plastic, rodent tracks, and mice sightings, of course.
Some of the most popular areas they’ll set up camp in are in your basement, attic, a crawlspace, behind your pantry, or in areas of clutter/disarray. With this in mind, how does a mice infestation pose a health risk to you and your family?
Mice Carry and Spread Diseases
Rodents of all kinds, including mice, are infamous for carrying an array of diseases. They can then spread these diseases via their feces, urine, saliva, and blood.
Just one of these diseases is the Hantavirus which is one of the most infectious and potentially deadliest diseases spread by rodent droppings. While the number of cases reported across the U.S. is still small, contracting this disease can have fatal consequences.
Another dangerous disease spread by rodents is rat-bite fever. This disease is not only carried by rats but most rodents. It’s also a serious disease that could lead to fatality.
Mice also carry other diseases such as Tularemia, which can infect both animals and people. So if you have pets in the home, they could become infected with Tularemia and spread it further to you or young children via their saliva.
Mice Can Indirectly Spread Bacteria and Disease
Mice and rats are notoriously unsanitary creatures. This means they carry ticks, fleas, and lice which can shed, spread, and begin to infest your home, too.
As you might already know, ticks, lice, and fleas pose a health risk to your family as they also carry diseases of their own. This means that even if the mice infesting your home are not carrying a disease, the pests that live on them might!
Mice Can Contaminate Your Food
Not only can mice infiltrate your food store and completely wear down your supply of dry foods, but they can also contaminate the food you eat with their droppings. The result of this is a severe form of food poisoning known as Salmonellosis.
Characterized by a high fever, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, this infection is especially dangerous in young children. Not only is it expensive to keep replacing your food stores if mice get into them, but it poses a serious threat to your health.
Take Back Control of Your Home With NJ Pest Control
One of the best ways to avoid these mice infestation health risks is with prevention. By the time you’ve scoped out a mice infestation, or called in an expert to do so, the damage is already done.
Nevertheless, if you suspect that you have a rodent infestation in your home, don’t hesitate to contact our team and take back control of your home!
