Mouse droppings can carry diseases for months or even years if left undisturbed. The length of time depends on several factors:
What diseases can mouse droppings transmit?
Some of the main diseases that mouse droppings can transmit include:
- Salmonellosis – Caused by Salmonella bacteria, symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
- Hantavirus – Rare but deadly respiratory disease. Initial symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue.
- Leptospirosis – Bacterial infection that can lead to liver and kidney damage. Causes flu-like symptoms.
- Rat-bite fever – Spread through bites or exposure to rat or mouse urine/feces. Causes fever, rash, muscle pain.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis – Viral infectious disease that often has no symptoms but can cause fever, headaches, muscle pain.
How long do the bacteria and viruses survive?
Many disease-causing bacteria and viruses can survive for extended periods in mouse droppings and urine under ideal conditions:
- Salmonella – Several months in dried mouse droppings.
- Hantavirus – Up to 3 days in fresh urine or droppings. Virus can persist for weeks/months in droppings allowed to dry.
- Leptospira bacteria – Can survive in favorable conditions for months.
- Rat-bite fever bacteria – Weeks to months in dried droppings.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus – Potentially for several months.
The exact length of time depends on factors like temperature, moisture, and exposure to sunlight/disinfectants. Cool and moist conditions allow the bacteria/viruses to persist longer.
What conditions affect disease survival?
Here are some key factors that influence how long mouse droppings remain infectious:
- Moisture – Wet droppings allow pathogens to survive longer than dry droppings.
- Temperature – Cooler temperatures increase survival time. Freezing can preserve pathogens indefinitely.
- Sunlight – UV rays can inactivate some viruses and bacteria over time.
- Disinfectants – Bleach, ammonia, etc can kill pathogens if droppings are treated.
- Food/soil – Some pathogens persist longer when droppings mix into food or soil.
- Cleaning – Disturbing dried droppings may stir up pathogens again.
How to safely clean mouse droppings
To safely clean droppings and avoid disease exposure:
- Wear gloves and mask to avoid touching droppings or inhaling particles.
- Lightly spray droppings with disinfectant and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Wipe up droppings with paper towels and dispose in sealed plastic bag.
- Clean surface thoroughly with disinfectant solution.
- Wash hands with soap and hot water afterwards.
- Avoid stirring up dust from droppings during cleanup.
When to seek medical advice
Consult a doctor if you experience any of the following after cleaning up mouse droppings:
- Flu-like symptoms like fever, muscle aches, headaches
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Cough, difficulty breathing
- Rash or pink eye
Let your doctor know you were exposed to mouse droppings so they can test for diseases like hantavirus and salmonellosis.
Conclusion
Mouse droppings can remain contaminated for an extended time, especially if kept dry and cool. Take precautions like wearing gloves and masks when cleaning up droppings to avoid disease exposure. Disinfecting surfaces and washing hands immediately afterwards can help kill lingering bacteria or viruses. Seek medical care if you experience concerning symptoms after exposure to mouse droppings.