Mice

Rodents are one of the most common reasons for calls to exterminators in Missouri. Mice, rats, and bats are the most frequent visitors to homes, but mice are, by far, the most common.

One of the ugliest truths about mice is that they urinate to mark their trails. This is how they find their way back to their nests and to favorite food sources. This, of course, spreads bacteria and other toxins all over everything they touch.

Mice also have parasites. External parasites such as flea, ticks, and ear mites, are bad enough. But, they also have worms and internal parasites in their intestines. These are excreted in their feces.

Mouse feces and urine – and even their saliva – dry out and become pulverized when you walk across the surfaces. You also come into contact with them when you move boxes, pantry items, or anything else saturated with urine and feces. This leads to respiratory infections such as the hantavirus, which has a 38% mortality rate in humans. Hantavirus is discovered in mice and rat populations in the U.S. every year.

Mice also carry the Plague, and several cases are found in the U.S. every year. Other diseases carried by mice are:

• Toxoplasmosis
• Salmonellosis
• Tularemia
• Bartonellosis
• Echinococcosis

If you suspect that you have mice in your home, call an exterminator or pest control expert immediately. There is no need to risk the health and lives of family members because of infection from rodents.