Zoonoses and Other Human Health Hazards

This chapter discusses known or potential zoonotic agents and the disease manifestations produced in man by exposure to infected mice. It also discusses other health hazards that may be encountered when working with mice, such as bites and allergies. Selected transmission of human infectious agents to mice is also briefly described in the chapter. Of the many latent viruses present in the mouse, only the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCM) naturally infects man. A review of the literature attests to the ease with which the LCM can be transmitted from animals to man. Although its expression can vary greatly, the LCM virus infection appears most frequently as a mild influenza-like syndrome, with or without apparent involvement of the central nervous system. In one epidemic of the non-meningitic LCM virus infection caused by exposure to infected hamsters, an influenza-like illness was described with typical symptoms of retro-orbital headache, severe myalgia, malaise, anorexia, and aching pain in the chest. A variety of rodent hosts are included in the transmission cycle of the rickettsial disease in nature. The house mouse is the natural host of Rickettsia akari, which is the causative agent of rickettsialpox and a member of the spotted fever group of rickettsiae. Another rickettsial disease—murine typhus or endemic typhus—is transmitted to man by rat fleas; rats and mice are its natural reservoirs. Rickettsia mooseri—the causative agent—has not been isolated from natural infections in laboratory mice. Clinical signs, diagnosis, and control in man are similar to those described for rickettsialpox.