Diseases directly transmitted by rodents
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Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
Rodent(s) involved
Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), Cotton rat (Sigmodon Hispidus), Rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
Throughout most of North and South America
How the disease spreads
- Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings
- Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently
Additional Information
Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome
Rodent(s) involved
Striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), brown or Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis)
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
Primarily in eastern Asia, Russia, Korea, Scandinavia, western Europe, and the Balkans
How the disease spreads
- Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Direct contact with rodents or their uring and droppings
- Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently
- The disease may spread through direct contact from person to person, but it is extremely rare
Additional Information
Lassa Fever
Rodent(s) involved
Multi-mammate rat (Mastomys natalensis species complex)
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
West Africa
How the disease spreads
- Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings
- Eating food that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently
- The disease may spread through direct contact from person to person
Additional Information
Leptospirosis
Rodent(s) involved
Rodents and other animals
Agent
Bacteria
Where the disease occurs
Worldwide
How the disease spreads
- Eating food or drinking water contaminated with urine from infected animals
- Contact through the skin or mucous membranes (such as inside the nose) with water or soil that is contaminated with the urine from infected animals
Additional Information
Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM)
Rodent(s) involved
House mouse (Mus musculus)
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
Worldwide
How the disease spreads
- Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings
- Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently
Additional Information
Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
Rodent(s) involved
Muskrats and possibly narrow-skulled voles
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
Western Siberia
How the disease spreads
- Direct contact with infected animal
- Bite from an infected tick
Additional Information
Plague
Rodent(s) involved
Wild rodents, including rock squirrels, prarie dogs, wood rats, fox squirrels and other species of ground squirrels and chipmunks
Agent
Bacteria
Where the disease occurs
Western US, South America, Africa, Asia
How the disease spreads
- Bite of an infected flea
- Direct contact with infected animal
Additional Information
Rat-Bite Fever
Rodent(s) involved
Rats and possibly mice
Agent
Bacteria
Where the disease occurs
Worldwide; Streptobacillus moniliformis in North America and Europe; Spirillum minue in Asia and Africa
How the disease spreads
- Bite or scratch wound from an infected rodent, or contact with a dead rodent
- Eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated by rat feces.
Additional Information
Salmonellosis
Rodent(s) involved
Rats and mice
Agent
Bacteria
Where the disease occurs
Worldwide
How the disease spreads
- Eating or drinking food or water that is contaminated by rat feces
Additional Information
South American Arenaviruses (Argentine hemorrhagic fever, Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, Sabiá-associated hemorrhagic fever, Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever)
Rodent(s) involved
Cane rat (Zygodontomys brevicauda), drylands vesper mouse, (Calomys musculinus), large vesper mouse (Calomys callosus)
Agent
Virus
Where the disease occurs
South America: parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil
How the disease spreads
- Breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings
- Direct contact with rodents or their urine and droppings
- Bite wounds, although this does not happen frequently
- The disease may rarely spread through direct contact from person to person
Additional Information
Tularemia
Rodent(s) involved
Wild rodents, including muskrats, ground squirrels and beavers
Agent
Bacteria
Where the disease occurs
Worldwide
How the disease spreads
- Handling infected animal carcasses
- Being bitten by an infected tick, deerfly or other insect
- Eating or drinking contaminated food or water
- Breathing in the bacteria, F. tularensis
Additional Information
- Page last reviewed: July 5, 2017
- Page last updated: July 5, 2017
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