Identifying A Mouse | Rodent Infestation
Remember that not all types of rodents carry hantavirus. Neither common house mice nor common rats have been associated with HPS in humans, for example. Yet because it can be tough to tell just what kind of rodents you have, play it safe — clean up the infestation and rodent-proof your home or workplace.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that may be carried by some rodents. Some hantaviruses can cause a rare but deadly disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease is called HPS for short.
What animals can give people hantaviruses?
Size of Deer Mouse and White-footed Mouse Droppings Compared with the Droppings of Other Household Pests: Close to Actual Size
Only some kinds of mice and rats can give people hantaviruses that cause HPS. In North America, they are the deer mouse, the white-footed mouse, the rice rat, and the cotton rat. However, not every deer mouse, white-footed mouse, rice rat, or cotton rat carries a hantavirus. Other rodents, such as house mice, roof rats, and Norway rats, have never been known to give people HPS. Since it is hard to tell if a mouse or a rat carries a hantavirus, it is best to avoid all wild mice and rats and to safely clean up any rodent urine, droppings, or nests in your home. Dogs and cats cannot give people hantavirus infections.
These are some of the mice and rats that can carry hantaviruses in the United States
Cotton Rat
Deere Mouse
The last thing anyone wants to see crawling through their home is a mouse. These pests seem to be able to enter your home through virtually any crack or space, needing only a hole the size of a small marble. Once you see these pests, it is important to handle the problem. Contact a local pest control professional at the first sign of a rodent infestation to handle the problem immediately.
