Mice and rats should never be tolerated in a home, business, or garden building. These rodents are a natural reservoir of deadly diseases that can be transmitted to humans and other animals. Not only do mice have the habit of contaminating food, but the simple act of breathing in the dust from rodent excrement or urine can be hazardous to your health. In addition, the infections transmitted by rodents to humans can be very serious, and even deadly. Don’t hesitate to call on a mice exterminator if your home is affected by this problem. They are the person in the best position to help you.
A few diseases transmitted by mice:
As an example, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a disease transmitted by inhaling dust from the excrement or urine of mice contaminated by the Sin Nombre virus. It causes fever, chills, headaches, and sometimes gastrointestinal issues, as well as an elevated body temperature, breathing problems, etc. This syndrome leads to death in 30% of infected people. 1
Another disease transmitted by mice is leptospirosis. This is a disease caused by food accidentally contaminated by the urine or excrement of mice infected with the Leptospira interrogans bacterium. This disease causes fever, chills, headaches, and muscle pain, and it can also lead to kidney failure, neurological damage, and hemorrhages, and, in 5 to 20% of cases, it causes death. 2
Leptospirosis and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome are diseases present in certain mice in Quebec. There are several other diseases that mice can transmit to humans and other animals. That’s why, among other things, it’s extremely important to:
- Store your food in resistant, hermetically sealed containers.
- Keep the lawn short and prevent brush near the house.
- Keep firewood stores away from inhabited spaces.
- Plug holes through which mice can enter.
- Never tolerate the presence of mice in any building whatsoever.
- Wear disposable gloves (neoprene or latex-free nitrile) and a disposable mask that complies with the N95 standard when handling dead rodents or cleaning their excrement.
- Spray excrement, nests, and dead mice with a solution of one part bleach and 10 parts water before handling them.
- Rely on pest management professionals to clean highly infested or contaminated areas.
What are the advantages of relying on an exterminator for mice and rats?
- You avoid the risks associated with handling these rodents.
- You benefit from the expertise of an experienced professional who can implement an effective protocol to eliminate the rodents present inside the house.
- You benefit from personalized advice to prevent their reappearance in inhabited spaces or in your buildings.