When it comes to household pests, mice often rank low on a homeowner’s list of top fears. After all, things like rats, centipedes, and raccoons certainly bring to mind a lot more “ick” factor than a small, pink-eared mouse. But don’t be fooled: Regardless of their size and perceived cuteness, mice actually can be deadly to humans.
Take a look at these three ways a mouse could kill you:
1. Deadly Bacteria and Viruses
Coming into direct contact with a live or dead mouse, or its droppings or urine, can be fatal. Mice carry a variety of bacteria and viruses that can harm humans, including:
- Leptospirosis, which is spread through contact with rat urine and can result in liver and kidney damage or failure.
- Salmonellosis, which can be contracted by consuming food or water that is contaminated with rodent feces.
- Tularemia, which can be transmitted through a mouse bite or scratch. Tularemia causes a severe fever and can be dangerous to susceptible populations, such as children and the elderly.
2. Electrical Fire
Mice love to gnaw on a variety of materials, including metal wiring. It’s not uncommon for mice to find their way into your walls, attic, or basement, where they can then chew on wiring for your heating and air conditioning, hot water heater, stereo equipment, and other machinery. This damage doesn’t only cost you money; it also endangers your home by increasing the likelihood of an electrical fire.
In the U.S., there are more than 50,000 home electrical fires every year, resulting in nearly 500 deaths. Damage from mice is one way in which an electrical fire can start. Unfortunately, the bigger your mouse problem, the more likely you are to experience electrical wiring damage.
3. Dangerous Parasites
Finally, mice are common carriers of dangerous parasites, such as mites, fleas, and ticks. A bite from one of these pests can lead to painful and even deadly health problems, such as:
- Bubonic plague, which is transmitted by rodent fleas and can cause skin lesions, fever, and even death.
- Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ticks and can cause fever, skin lesions, headaches, and joint pain. Every year, more than 300,000 people are infected with Lyme disease, and in some cases, it can be deadly.
- Pox, which comes from mites and can cause lesions, fever, and headaches.
- Typhus, which is spread by fleas and can lead to severe respiratory problems.
While some of these health conditions may seem mild to most people, consider how they might impact those with delicate or compromised immune systems, such as people with other health conditions, young children, and the elderly. To make matters worse, you and your family members don’t even have to come in direct contact with a mouse to contract these parasitic diseases. The parasites amplify the potential danger of every mouse.
Protect Yourself and Your Family
As you can see, even the tiniest, cutest mouse can actually be quite dangerous to your health by exposing you to viruses, diseases, and parasites, or by causing damage to electrical wiring in your home. However, with an effective rodent solution, you can ensure that any outbreak of mice is quickly contained.
The Goodnature™ A24 Rat and Mouse Trap is ideal for eliminating mice from your home—and preventing future infestations. The quick-kill, self-resetting trap kills each mouse using a CO2-powered shot. It works instantly, as soon as the mouse approaches the lure, then resets itself automatically. As a result, you can proactively eradicate mice without constantly checking and re-baiting your traps. This helps ensure every member of your family is well protected from the dangers that mice can bring.
