From The New York Post
April 17, 2018
Watch out for house mice — they could be dangerous to your health.
A new study in New York City found they carry life-threatening, disease-causing bacteria — and some may be resistant to antibiotics.
“Mice are more than just a nuisance — they are a potential source of infections. We used to think of mosquitoes as the source of just an itchy bite, but now we know they carry Zika virus and West Nile virus,” says Ian Lipkin, director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Researchers collected 416 mice from residential buildings at seven sites across the city. A genetic analysis of their droppings revealed that the mice carry several gastrointestinal bacteria including C. difficile, E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella, a leading cause of bacterial food poisoning.