May 06, 2008

Spring Brings More Than Flowers

Health District Warns of Hantavirus

With warmer weather and melting snows, people are returning to their shuttered mountain cabins and out buildings. When they get there they may find evidence of some unwelcome guests. Mice, just like humans, like to winter in a warm place, and an empty cabin may have been just the ticket for some enterprising rodents. But some of those rodents, especially deer mice, may be infected with hantavirus. Hantavirus can leave humans with a serious, often deadly, respiratory illness called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome or HPS. Early symptoms can include; a fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, stomach problems, dizziness and chills. In more serious cases the lungs fill with fluid and it becomes very difficult to breathe.

Hantavirus is shed in rodent saliva, urine and feces. Transmission to humans occurs when someone breathes in hantavirus particles. This can happen when someone tries to clean up the droppings of their uninvited winter guests, disturbing feces and nesting materials contaminated with hantavirus. If these materials are swept or shaken into the air, the virus may be inhaled and infection can result. Infection can also occur after touching the mouth or nose after handling contaminated materials.

The following are important steps in the prevention of hantavirus infections:

1. Keep mice out of your house and yard
2. Clean infected areas:
• Always air out enclosed barns, cabins, or other areas closed for long periods of time before cleaning
• Wear rubber or latex gloves
• Thoroughly wet down infested areas with a bleach solution of one part bleach to ten parts water
• Seal contaminated materials in a plastic bag
• Wash hands and, if necessary, shower with hot water and soap after cleaning
3. Take precautions outdoors:
• Avoid contact with rodents. Do not feed them or disturb their dens or nests.
• Stay out of cabins or shelters until disinfected
• Use a tent with a floor. Do not sleep on bare ground
• Avoid areas where you see burrows or rodent droppings
• When harvesting crops or handling animal feed, use gloves and protective clothing. A mask should be worn if dust is generated from areas of feed storage where infested rodents may have nested.

Information on hantavirus and infection prevention can be found at these websites:

• CDC Website - Rodents
• CDC Hantavirus Fact Sheet

Information on hantavirus and other health topics can be found on the CDHD website