Rat and mouse article

Diseases From Rats and Mice: What Floridians Should Know

Updated November 4, 2026

Rats and mice can spread disease through urine, droppings, saliva and bites. Here's what the CDC says about leptospirosis, hantavirus and rat-bite fever, and how to clean up safely.

Rats and mice can spread disease through their urine, droppings and saliva, and through bites and scratches. UF/IFAS lists at least ten diseases associated with rats and mice, including leptospirosis, murine typhus, ratbite fever and bacterial food poisoning. In South Florida, leptospirosis gets the most attention because it spreads through water and soil contaminated with urine, and the CDC says risk rises after floods and heavy rain.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you're sick after contact with rodents or their droppings, see a doctor and mention the exposure.

Leptospirosis

The CDC describes leptospirosis as a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals, including rats. People can get it through contact with that urine or with water or soil contaminated by it, and the CDC notes risk goes up after floods or heavy rain. Miami's wet season, which the National Weather Service counts from mid-May to mid-October, and the flooding that comes with storms, make this the disease most worth knowing about here.

Dogs can get leptospirosis too, from puddles, yards and anywhere rats travel. Ask your veterinarian whether your dog should be vaccinated.

Hantavirus

The CDC says hantavirus spreads through contact with rodent urine, droppings and saliva, and that the hantavirus most commonly causing illness in the United States is carried by the deer mouse, mostly in rural areas. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a severe lung disease that can be fatal. The cleanup rules below exist largely because of hantavirus: sweeping or vacuuming dry droppings can put virus particles into the air.

Rat-bite fever

Rat-bite fever is a bacterial infection. The CDC says it can spread through bites or scratches, or through contact with a rodent's saliva or urine. If you're bitten or scratched, wash the wound with soap and water and see a doctor. Don't try to grab or corner a rat.

Food contamination

UF/IFAS ENY-224 lists bacterial food poisoning among rodent-related diseases. Rodents walk through garbage and drains and then across counters and food packaging. Throw away any food in a bag or box that's been chewed, and disinfect shelves and counters where you find droppings. Restaurants face state inspections for exactly this reason; see restaurant rodent violations.

How to clean up safely

The CDC's cleanup method applies to droppings, urine and nests:

1. Air out a closed space before you start cleaning
2. Wear rubber or vinyl gloves
3. Don't sweep or vacuum droppings, which puts dust in the air
4. Spray droppings and urine with disinfectant or a bleach solution, one part bleach to ten parts water, and let it soak about five minutes
5. Wipe up with paper towels and throw them away in a sealed bag
6. Disinfect the area, then wash gloved hands, remove the gloves and wash your hands with soap and water

When to hand cleanup off

A few droppings in a cabinet are a reasonable DIY job. An attic full of droppings and soaked insulation isn't, especially in Miami summer heat. Providers who do attic cleanup remove soiled insulation, disinfect surfaces and replace the insulation. See droppings cleanup and sanitizing.

The CDC's main advice for any cleanup is to wet droppings with disinfectant and never sweep or vacuum them dry, which keeps dust down. A heavy job is better left to someone with the right protective gear.

Lower your risk

Keep rodents out of the house: seal gaps with metal, trim trees off the roof and keep food in hard containers. Wear gloves when handling traps or dead rodents. Avoid wading in floodwater when you can, and wear waterproof boots and gloves for flood cleanup. See rodents after a hurricane and how to get rid of rats in Miami.

Pets and rodents

Dogs that dig in yards, drink from puddles or chase rats are exposed to the same urine-borne risks as people. Talk to your veterinarian about leptospirosis. Cats that catch rodents can be bitten or scratched. Keep pet food and water inside at night so it doesn't draw rats to the patio, and keep traps and bait stations where pets can't reach them.

Kids and rodent products

Snap traps and bait stations belong out of reach of children. UF/IFAS ENY-224 says bait stations should be inaccessible to a 4-year-old child or a dog, and EPA rules require consumer bait to come in a station. If a child gets into rodent bait, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and have the package ready.

Related services: Droppings Cleanup and Sanitizing, Rodent Exclusion, Emergency Rodent Removal