I am almost into my 2nd trimester and I have been really worried lately. Every year we have a problem with mice and it takes about a month or so to actually catch them and get all the holes plugged up again. They chew through them every year so we have to redo it every year. I read on the internet about a virus called LCMV that you can get from mice and their droppings that can harm your baby. I have been obsessing about this ever since I found this out and DH has been taking care of all cleanup after the mice and with catching them and plugging up any holes. Well this morning I was cleaning and we have gotten rid of the mice as far as we know. We have not seen any or any droppings for a while. I saw a piece of dirt on the floor and picked it up and then realized that it was a mouse turd. I completely freaked that I touched it with bare hands and I have washed my hands like 5 times in a row b/c I am so paranoid about this. Would you be worried? Would you go to your doctor and get tested for this? I am so upset by this. Has anyone else even heard of this or had a mouse problem while pregnant? I appreciate your thoughts or any words you haev to say. Feel free to call me crazy if that is what you think.
Re: Am I overreacting?? Flame if you must
Yeah believe me if I would have realized what it was BEFORE I never would have touched it. You have no idea how crazy I have been about staying completely away from anything I even THINK could be a mouse turd. I am worrying myself sick right now.
I'm sure you are fine. I don't think it could have entered your bloodstream unless you like ate it or rubbed it in your eyes. Call your doctor/nurse if it will give you peace of mind. It's not good to be so stressed out!
DH does pest control and you would need to ingest the droppings to to obtain LCMV. Most cases of this do occur in homes with poor ventalization and a SEVERE infestation of mice.
Consider me the meanie-
seriously though? You are freaking cause you picked up one mouse turd? Have you avoided all open areas with people (malls, Walmart, grocery stores, etc) or gone out to eat? You ought to see the rodent issues (mice and bugs) in restaurants (My best friend owns a pest control business EVERY restaurant has them)...
You expose your baby to worse by just doing any of the above versus cleanin up a little mouse poop in your house.
Just saying...
I try not to let it worry me too much. I'd think you are fine since you have washed your hands. You can always call your dr. for reassurance.
Twin boys born too early at 17w4d and 18w2d in February 2010
Transabdominal cerclage placed September 2010
DS born at 35w1d in February 2011
Twin girls born at exactly 36w in February 2013
Yeah thanks for that advice. Would you like to pay for our new house??? Oh and I am pretty sure that almost any house is capable of having a mouse problem. Just like the pp said her house is brand new and she has had mice. Should she move out of her new house too???