Runny nose every time you clean the mouse cage, or itchy eyes on lab days? Mouse proteins are a well known allergen at home and at work, and mice do not have to be pets to leave them behind. Our test checks your blood for IgE to Mus m 1, the major mouse allergen, as part of 300 allergens and allergen components, next to rat, hamster and other animals.
The major mouse allergen is Mus m 1, one of the major urinary proteins. It belongs to the lipocalin family, small proteins that carry scent molecules. Mice mark everything with urine, so Mus m 1 ends up on bedding, cage floors and surfaces, then dries and becomes airborne dust. It is also found in hair and dander.
Because the allergen travels on dust, you can meet it without seeing a mouse. Studies have found mouse allergen in homes, schools and offices, not only in labs.
Typical reports are sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and itchy, watery eyes, often within minutes of handling mice or changing cages. Some people get itchy red welts where a mouse has touched or scratched the skin. In people with asthma, cough, wheeze or a tight chest are common reports.
Allergy to mice and rats is one of the best known work-related allergies in research labs. Reviews put it at roughly 4 to 30 in every 100 lab animal workers.
IgE to mouse shows sensitisation. It does not tell you whether you will react or how strongly. Some people show IgE to mouse without any symptoms around mice.
If you work with mice and notice symptoms at work, raise it with your occupational health service or a doctor. They can put your result in context and look at your work environment.
From your finger-prick sample, the lab measures IgE to one single mouse protein as part of 300 allergens and allergen components. Rat, hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, cat and dog are on the same panel, so you can see whether mouse stands alone or sits in a wider pattern. Your report gives the value a class from Negative to Very high.
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One finger-prick sample checks IgE to 300 allergens and allergen components, from birch and peanut to cat and house dust mite. Post it to the lab, and about 5 days after it arrives you get a value for every one. Our plain-English guide shows you how to read them. €399 in total, €1.33 per allergen.
Yes. Mouse urine, hair and dander carry allergens, mainly a protein called Mus m 1. A blood test shows whether you have IgE to it. A doctor can tell you what that means alongside your symptoms.
Mouse allergen spreads in dust, so mice living in walls, lofts or cellars can leave allergen in rooms they rarely visit. Studies have found mouse allergen in homes and schools. If your symptoms are worse indoors, mouse is worth checking alongside dust mite and mould.
It shows whether your blood has IgE to Mus m 1, next to rat and other animals. For symptoms at work, also speak to your occupational health service. They can look at your exposure and next steps.
