Diseases Rodents Spread in Ontario Homes — and How to Protect Your Family
Mice and rats can spread hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella and more. Here is what Ontario families need to know — and how to stay safe.
June 18, 2026 • 
Husky Pest Control • 
6 min readRodents can spread several diseases to people through their droppings, urine, saliva, and bites — including hantavirus (rare in Ontario), leptospirosis, salmonella, and rat-bite fever. The biggest risk comes from disturbing droppings indoors. Seal entry points, store food in sealed containers, and never sweep or vacuum dry droppings.
Mice and rats are more than a winter nuisance. Worldwide, rodents are linked to more than 35 diseases, and they can pass several of them to people through their droppings, urine, saliva, bites, and the food they contaminate. With hantavirus making national headlines in 2026, many Ontario families are asking a fair question: how worried should I be — and what should I do about it?
Here is a clear, science-based look at the diseases rodents can spread in Ontario homes, how transmission really happens, and the simple steps that keep your family safe.
How rodents spread disease
Rodents shed germs constantly. A single mouse can leave 50–75 droppings a day, along with urine and saliva, across countertops, inside cupboards, and through wall voids. People are usually exposed in four ways:
- Breathing contaminated air — dust from dried droppings and urine can carry germs, especially when a nest is disturbed during cleaning.
- Eating contaminated food — rodents walk through and feed on stored food, leaving germs behind.
- Contact with surfaces, water, or soil contaminated by urine.
- Bites and scratches, which are rare but possible during an infestation.
Rodents also carry ticks, fleas, and mites into the home, which can spread illnesses of their own.
Hantavirus: what Ontario families should know
Hantavirus gets the most attention because it can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) — a severe, sometimes fatal lung illness with no vaccine or specific cure. It is carried mainly by deer mice and spreads when people breathe in airborne particles from infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva — most often while cleaning out a space that has been closed up, such as a cottage, shed, cabin, or garage.
The reassuring context for Ontario: hantavirus is rare here. According to Public Health Ontario and Health Canada, Canada averages only about three cases a year, and the large majority occur in Western Canada — British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan — where deer mouse populations are largest. The virus has been found in a small percentage of rodents tested in Northern Ontario, so the risk is not zero; it is simply low, and it rises sharply when droppings are disturbed in an enclosed space.
Other diseases rodents can carry
- Leptospirosis — bacteria spread through rodent urine; people and pets can be infected through contaminated water, soil, or food.
- Salmonellosis — food poisoning from food or surfaces contaminated with rodent droppings.
- Rat-bite fever — a bacterial infection passed through bites, scratches, or contaminated food.
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) — a virus carried by house mice that can cause flu-like illness and poses extra risk during pregnancy.
Do not forget allergies and asthma
Even when no infection occurs, rodent droppings, urine, and shed hair release proteins that are well-documented triggers for allergies and asthma — a real concern in homes with children.
How to clean up rodent droppings safely
This is the most important takeaway: never sweep or vacuum dry droppings. Doing so launches particles into the air you breathe. Instead, follow the method recommended by Health Canada:
- Open windows and air out the space for at least 30 minutes before you start.
- Wear disposable gloves and a well-fitting mask.
- Spray droppings and nesting material with disinfectant or a bleach solution (about 1 part bleach to 9 parts water) and let it soak for 5 minutes.
- Wipe up with paper towel, seal everything in a plastic bag, and wash your hands thoroughly.
How to keep rodents out of your home
- Seal entry points — a mouse fits through a gap the size of a dime. Close holes around pipes, doors, windows, and the roofline with steel wool and caulk or cement.
- Cut off the food supply — store food, pet food, and garbage in metal or heavy plastic containers with tight lids, and do not leave pet bowls out overnight.
- Reduce shelter — declutter basements, sheds, and garages, and keep firewood away from the house.
When to call a professional
Droppings, gnaw marks, a musky smell, or scratching in the walls usually mean an established infestation — and DIY traps rarely reach nests inside walls and attics. Husky Pest Control’s licensed technicians find the entry points, remove the infestation safely, and seal your home so the problem does not come back.
Protect your family’s health — explore our rodent control services or call 1-855-501-0074 for same-day service across Ontario.
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Sources: Public Health Ontario; Health Canada (Canada.ca); Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS); U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).