Can Mice Get Staph?

Mice can definitely contract Staphylococcus (staph) bacterial infections. Mice are similar enough to humans that they are used for research purposes and have proven useful in the past.

Staph

• Mice play an important role in developing drugs to combat infectious disease.

  Staphylococcus is a type of round, gram-positive bacteria that typically groups together in clusters. According to the National Institute of Health, staph bacteria can cause a variety of diseases, including skin infections, pneumonia, food poisoning, toxic shock syndrome and blood poisoning.

Infection in Mice

• Mice are infected by staphylococcal bacteria; the same bacteria that commonly infect humans.

  Mice were used in an experiment by the National Institute of Health and the University of Chicago to research skin damage caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Mice are used in scientific experiments due to their genetic similarity to humans, small size, low cost, short life span and quick reproduction rate.

Staph Infections

• Staphylococcal bacteria are detectable using common microbiology techniques.

  According to the National Institute of Health, the most common form of staph infection is a skin infection, which may look like small pimples or boils. Staph infections are usually easily treatable with antibiotics.