Zoonoses and Other Human Health Hazards

E. Newcomer, Christian; G. Fox, James

Zoonoses refers to the infectious diseases and infestations that are transmissible directly from an animal host to humans. The biomedical literature contains numerous reports of zoonotic diseases and parasitic infestations from laboratory mice and their wild counterparts. The extended maintenance of the laboratory mouse over a number of generations under controlled and increasingly sophisticated laboratory animal housing conditions with veterinary oversight and effective infection control measures has markedly reduced the likelihood that zoonotic agents would be encountered in a modem animal care and use environment. Wild caught mice that are maintained in naturalistic housing environments in the laboratory, laboratory mice that have contact with wild or feral mice, and mice kept as pets in the home environment are examples of animal management conditions that would be conducive to the expression and transmission of zoonotic diseases and other mouse-associated hazards. In addition to the zoonoses, mice are capable of inflicting bites on inadequately trained personnel and are a rich source of allergens for a substantial number of persons predisposed to develop mouse-associated allergic sensitivities. This chapter discusses the mouse-associated zoonotic diseases and other health hazards and explains the strategies that are helpful for reducing or eliminating the risk of personnel exposure to these conditions.