Can infant field mouse give diseases to people or cats?

Question
Hi Natasha,
My boyfriend came across a baby field mouse a couple doors down from me, caught in the rain and very cold, wet, and lethargic, and brought him to me. I warmed him up, got him all dry, even gave him a couple drops of milk, and put him in a cardboard shoe box with some paper towels on the bottom and a nice little sock for him to curl up in. (all temporary housing) He is very young and his eyes are still sealed shut.

My question is this: how do I know if this little guy has diseases that could be passed on to me or my cat? What diseases might a little week old field mouse have? And how do I keep from anyone getting sick if he DOES have diseases?

Answer
Hi Zaar,

The only disease to worry about is called hantavirus, and it is rare-- but deadly. I have been trying to find out whether anyone has ever gotten it from a baby mouse (I really, really, really doubt it). I know that babies do not get it in utero, but I don't know how mice spread it among themselves. The way it is spread from mice to humans is usually when a person cleaning out an old barn or basement and breathes in old, dried urine and feces. I don't even know if anyone has gotten it directly from a mouse-- sources say things like "scientists surmise" that you can get it other ways, which means *it has never happened.*  

Here is where hantavirus has been found in the US. The number of cases is a total since 1993.

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/reporting-state.html

Not living in the Southwest, I myself wouldn't think twice about it. If I did, I would ask my area wildlife and game or my vet if there had ever been any cases anywhere near me.  Just remember-- these people want to make sure they don't get sued, so they are going to make it sound a lot scarier than it is.

Next, after being sure not to ever breathe in its feces, not putting my head in its cage to smell it; I would wait until it was old enough to have blood drawn and then bring the mouse to the vet to be tested for the virus.

I do not think there is anything the mice can give to your cat. Mice and cats and people can all have the same kind of rabies, but I 100% guarantee a surviving baby mouse cannot have rabies.


In terms of taking care of him, here are a few videos:

Day one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNX2byHbppM&feature=relmfu

Feeding:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4_mFLcLBio&feature=relmfu

Keeping warm:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnf_ud48-T8&feature=relmfu


I wish him the very best of luck.

squeaks,

Natasha

PS If your vet or wildlife and game person knows something I don't-- let me know.