Insects are pretty well known for their ability to act as allergic/asthmatic triggers in sensitized individuals, but another household pest that can cause these reactions are mice. Researchers conducted studies and found that mouse allergen levels in over a third of the homes surveyed (over 800 households in total) were sufficient enough to contribute to asthma.

Households with at least one asthma sufferer that had mouse allergen concentrations greater than 1.6mcg per gram of dust had rates of asthma 50% greater, than in those home with lower allergen levels.

“It is advisable to get rid of mice in homes where allergic and asthmatic individuals reside” according to Dr. Paivi M. Salo, Ph.D. This researcher also found detectable mouse allergen (mostly from urine residue. nice!) in over 80 percent of the homes in the study. A variety of different style housing units (old and new) from urban and rural locations across the US were included to give the broadest sample for the study.

Thinking of getting a cat to handle your mouse problem? The studies findings determined that the presence of cats had no real impact on the levels of mouse allergen in the home. Worse yet, in households with sensitized individuals (to mouse allergen) the presence of the Fel D cat allergen more than doubled their risk for asthmatic attacks!
Got mice? Call Colonial.