Hantavirus

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What is Hanatavirus?

Hantavirus is a virus that is found in the urine, saliva, or droppings of infected deer mice and

some other wild rodents (cotton rats, rice rats in the southeastern Unites States and the

white-footed mouse and the red-backed vole). It causes a rare but serious lung disease called

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The virus does not remain active for long once outside of its

host -- less than 1 week outdoors and a few hours when exposed to direct sunlight.

How does the Virus enter the body?

People can contract the Hantavirus infection through inhalation of respirable droplets of saliva or

urine, or through the dust of feces from infected wild rodents, especially the deer mouse.

Transmission can also occur when contaminated material gets into broken skin, or possibly, ingested

in contaminated food or water.

How does it affect the body?

Symptoms appear within 1 to 5 weeks after exposure. The average is 2 to 4 weeks. This disease is

extremely serious since about 40% of the people who get the disease die. The disease begins as a

flu-like illness. In the early stage, a worker may experience fever, chills, muscle aches,

headaches, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat and gastrointestinal

problems. However, the disease progresses rapidly and infected people experience an abnormal fall

in blood pressure and their lungs will fill with fluid. Severe respiratory failure, resulting in

death, can occur within a few days of the early stage symptoms.

How do we prevent exposure?

Attempt to reduce the presence of mice and limit contact with their droppings, urine and saliva by:

• Storing food (including pet food), water and garbage in heavy plastic or metal

containers with tight fitting lids.

• Sealing any holes in structures where mice may enter.

• Cutting back thick brush and keep grass short. Keep woodpiles away from the

building.

• Using rubber or plastic gloves when cleaning up signs of rodents, handling dead

rodents, or other materials. When finished, clean gloves with soapy water before taking them off.

Wash hands with soapy water (again) after removing the gloves.

• Setting traps when necessary. Put rodents in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and

dispose.

Since human infection occurs through inhalation of contaminated material, clean-up procedures must

be performed in a way that limits the amount of airborne dust. Treat all mice and droppings as

being potentially infected. When people do general clean-up activities where there is not heavy

amount of droppings should wear disposable protective clothing and gloves (neoprene, nitrile or

latex-free), rubber boots and a disposable N95 respirator. For cleaning up rodent contaminated

areas with heavy accumulations of droppings it is necessary to use powered air-purifying (PARP) or

air- supplied respirators with P100 filters and eye or face protection to avoid contact with any

aerosols.

Dead mice, nests and droppings should be soaked thoroughly with a 1:10 solution of sodium

hypochlorite (household bleach). Bleach kills the virus and reduces the chance of further

transmission. The contaminated material should be placed in a plastic bag and sealed for disposal.

Disinfect by wet-wiping all reusable respirator surfaces, gloves, rubber boots and goggles with

bleach solution. All disposable protective clothing, gloves and respirators should be placed in

plastic bags and sealed for disposal. Please contact your local environmental authorities

concerning approved disposal methods.

Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water after removing the gloves.