Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
House mice contribute to the spread of several human and animal diseases, including bubonic plague. They also carry a virus that may contribute to breast cancer in humans. Where abundant, house mice consume large quantities of crops and contaminate foods with their droppings. They can destroy woodwork, furniture, upholstery, and clothing.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (carries human disease); crop pest; household pest
- Indik, S., W. Günzburg, B. Salmons, F. Rouault. 2005. Mouse mammary tumor virus infects human cells. Cancer Research, 65 (15): 6651-6659.
- Stewart, T., R. Sage, A. Stewart, D. Cameron. 2000. Breast cancer incidence highest in the range of one species of house mouse, Mus domesticus. British Journal of Cancer, 82(2): 446-451.
