Not a Very PC Mouse: Why Mice in Your Office Put Pregnant Members of Staff at Risk

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Australia is currently being overrun by mice in what some farmers are calling the worst mouse plague since 2011. This doesn't bode well for offices and homes in the worst hit areas. Mice may look unimposing, but it is not their fangs you need worry about—it is the diseases that they carry. Pregnant women and their unborn babies are especially at risk of contracting several dangerous diseases that could cause birth defects.

If you suspect that your office has been overrun with mice, you should take immediate steps to stamp out the infestation. Pregnant staff members can contract diseases via contact with mice droppings, saliva, semen and urine. The spouses of pregnant wives may also take diseases home with them, should they come into contact with mice in an office environment.

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) Is Spread by Mice

Although this disease is relatively rare, affecting only 2%-5% of people, mice and even hamsters can pass it on to humans via their bodily fluids. An infested office then, where mice roam and defecate in working areas, is not just unhygienic—it could be deadly.

Not only can this disease cause miscarriages, but it can also cause a number of brain disorders in newborns, leading to mental retardation. This makes the suspicion of paediatrics professor Dr. Leslie Barton from the University of Arizona School of Medicine that the virus is also airborne, extremely alarming.

Leptospirosis Harms Mothers and Babies

Also known as Weil's disease, this disease is caused by microorganisms that reside on rodents such as mice and rats. Just as with LCMV, leptospirosis is passed onto humans via bodily fluids secreted by rodents, such as urine and saliva. If only the mother is infected, she will experience flu-like symptoms which could then lead to meningitis and cause mental retardation in the unborn child.

However, in cases where the unborn child is infected, babies can suffer jaundice, vasculitis or even pass away if infected in the early stages of pregnancy.

Take Immediate Steps to Rid Your Office of Mice

Mice infest office buildings that are rich in food and nesting sources. Boxes of paper, discarded food wrappers and crumbs and a multitude of nooks and crannies make an office the ideal place for mice to breed. Seal all cracks, ban all food from non-dining areas and make sure that staff members seal all food brought into the workplace.

You should also get in touch with a professional pest control service, like Blakes Pest Management, as soon as possible. Should a member of staff become infected with a disease passed on from a rodent in your office, you could find yourself in court. However, with the help of an experienced and reputable pest control service, your office will once again be a safe place for your staff to work in. 

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19 July 2017

Deterring Pests while Protecting Pets

Hello, my name is Mandi, and although I own a number of pets including my dog, two ferrets and a guinea pig, I am utterly afraid of all non-pet creatures in my house. I hold the guinea pigs as I watch TV, and I sleep with my dog, but the idea of a mouse running through the walls makes me incredibly uncomfortable and tense. Since pests are such a trigger issue for me, I have spent a lot of time researching them. I have learned how to get rid of them, but more importantly, how to get rid of them without bothering or putting my pets in danger. If you are trying to balance the wanted and the unwanted creatures in your home, I hope these posts help!