Mouse Urine Allergy Test
Description:
Mouse Urine Allergy Test
This test measures an allergic reaction to mouse urine. It is obviously not advisable to keep mice as pets if you or someone in your home is allergic to them. However, mice that live in the walls of houses or apartment buildings, or even in the areas outside of the home are frequent sources of allergy symptoms. Studies have shown that as many as 80% of homes contain allergens from mice. Even if your home does not currently have any mice in it, the older a building is, the more likely it is that it has had mice at some point. Dried urine mixed with dust can become an airborne irritant for years even after the mice are long gone. People who are regularly exposed to allergens from mice in their homes are more likely to develop an allergic reaction. Common symptoms include sneezing, red itchy eyes, rash, cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. People with respiratory illnesses like asthma are more likely to experience severe reactions.
Allergies are caused by a reaction in the body's immune system. The body identifies certain substances, such as proteins in the mouse's urine, as harmful and produces IgE antibodies against them. The severity of the allergy will vary from one person to the next. Blood allergy testing provides numerical results for IgE antibody levels to help determine how severe a reaction a person will have.
Testing is typically ordered when a person is experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction, even if there is no obvious source that is causing them. Mouse urine is also included in our Animal and Feather Allergy Panel. For more testing options, please see our Allergy Testing Category.
Results for this test typically take 3-5 business days.
Note: Result turn around times are an estimate and are not guaranteed. Our reference lab may need additional time due to weather, holidays, confirmation/repeat testing, or equipment maintenance.
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