House mice carrying drug-resistant diseases
House mice carry potentially fatal antibiotic-resistant diseases that could be passed on to humans, scientists have warned. A study into hundreds of mice caught on domestic premises found evidence of pathogens such as E. coli, Clostridium difficile and Salmonella. Genetic analysis revealed these included antibiotic-resistant strains.
HOUSE mice carry potentially fatal antibiotic-resistant diseases that could be passed on to humans, scientists have warned.
A study into hundreds of rodents caught from domestic premises found evidence of pathogens such as E. coli, Clostridium difficile and salmonella.
Genetic analysis of the droppings revealed these included strains resistant to several common antibiotics.
All the bugs identified were capable of causing gastro-intestinal infections that in severe cases can be life-threatening. Previous research has shown that bugs that cause illnesses in humans can be transmitted as a result of food contamination with animal waste.
The study, which took place in New York, follows an investigation in London last year, which revealed the Tube network was a “hotbed” of drug-resistant superbugs, carried by rodents. Antimicrobial-resistance, where strains of bacteria become immune to antibiotic drugs, is one of the gravest threats to global health, with experts estimating it could result in 10million deaths a year by 2050.
The problem has arisen due in part to the prescription of antibiotics for humans, but also because of the use of the drugs on animals in agriculture.
Simon Williams, who led the research at Columbia University, said: “Our study raises the possibility that serious infections, including those resistant to antibiotics, may be passed from these mice to humans, although further research is needed to understand how often this happens, if at all.”
The scientists spent a year collecting 416 mice from residential buildings. Their droppings were analysed for signs of bacteria that could potentially be spread to humans. Evidence of 36 viruses was also found, including six new strains, none of which were known to infect humans.