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A Newsletter Exploring Science 
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Behind the Species... Mouse
Musophobia, or fear of mice, is a common affliction. Housewives have long suffered the stereotype of being so afraid of mice that the mere sight of one running across the floor would induce a chair-hopping, broom-wielding panic. Elephants have also been unfairly singled out as being afraid of mice, a fallacy that arguably originated in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia. Instead of focusing on who is afraid of mice, we should ask why we are afraid of them in the first place. Are we afraid of them because of what they are, the harm they cause, or simply because they surprise us when they appear out of context, like in our pantry as opposed to running around the woods? Whether you are afraid of mice or not, it is always a good idea not to handle feral mice or their droppings. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mice can carry several zoonotic diseases, such as leptospirosis, tularemia, salmonellosis, and hantavirus. Mouse-to-human disease transmission can occur as a result of a bite wound, direct contact with mouse urine or feces, inhalation of aerosolized fecal material, and contact with urine-contaminated water. Mice can also indirectly transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease to humans by way of an intervening insect vector. Mice kept in captivity, especially in the laboratory setting, pose much less of a risk for zoonotic disease transmission. Laboratory mice can be kept in controlled environments, rendering them specific pathogen free (SPF) or germ-free. MOUSE-IN-A-BOX
Body Temperature: 96.4-99.7 °F (35.8-37.6 °C) INFORMATIVE WEBSITES
Wikipedia, "Mouse":
EnchantedLearning, "Mouse":
London & Southern Counties Mouse & Rat Club (UK):
Rat & Mouse Club of America:
American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Diseases from Rodents":
Mouse Genetics Concepts and Applications" by Lee Silver (1995),
page one page two You may download a PDF format of the actual newsletter. |
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BioFocus
MISMR |
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MISMR members strongly support humane animal study in research. We hope that likeminded citizens will join us in working for rational public policy that assures the continued appropriate use of animals in the course of good science. |