We’ve all heard troubling news stories of hantavirus – a rodent-borne illness. How is the hantavirus transmitted and what is the role of rodents?
Every year there seem to be hantavirus cases reported, and while cases typically number in the single-digits annually, hantavirus is a real risk in the Cascade service areas.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a virus primarily carried by rodents. It is spread to humans through contact – often by inhaling airborne particles from the droppings, urine, and saliva of infected rodents.
There are no approved vaccines or drug treatments for the hantavirus infection, but patients can survive and fully recover if medical professionals diagnose the sickness early and deliver prompt supportive care.[1]
In the United States, hantaviruses can cause two serious syndromes.
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) – a severe and potentially deadly disease affecting the lungs
- Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) – a severe and sometimes deadly disease affecting the kidneys
What Types of Rodents Carry Hantavirus?
In the Seattle / Puget Sound and Boise / Treasure Valley areas, the group of hantaviruses are carried by North American rodents, include the deer mouse, white-footed mouse, rice rat, and cotton rat. Of that group, the deer mice are commonly the primary carrier.
The deer mouse typically has a body ranging from two to three inches long, with larger eyes and ears than the common house mouse.
While we are seeing more rats populating the Boise / Treasure Valley region, deer mice are threatening the area as well!
Every county of the Puget Sound region carries a variety of rodents, but deer mice are most prevalent. The state of Washington has posted information on human cases of hantavirus that occurred some years ago, including deaths in King County.
How is Hantavirus Contracted and What Can I Do to Prevent It?
As previously stated, hantavirus is frequently contracted from contact with the droppings, urine, or saliva of a rodent, such as the common deer mouse.
Contact with the hantavirus can occur when cleaning an infested area, living in a rodent-infested structure, or disturbing the living area of deer mice in the wild. Limiting your risk of exposure starts with learning how to safely clean up an infested area:
- When cleaning an area that has been infested by mice or rats, it’s important to protect yourself before you start cleaning. Wearing rubber or latex gloves, respirator or a properly fitted N95-rated dust mask help with contraction of hantavirus.
- Hantavirus can remain in the dust around an infested area, even if you don’t touch the droppings directly. That’s why it’s important to avoid disturbing dust – which means vacuuming or sweeping are not recommended when cleaning after an infestation.
- Instead, soak the area in a solution of water and bleach, with one part bleach to nine parts water. Let the area soak for 10 minutes, then clean up any dust, nestings, and droppings with a damp towel. Once the area is clean, mop using the same bleach and water solution.
- When the job is done, double-bag all cleaning materials and debris. Disinfect the gloves before removing them from your hands, then wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
Professional Rodent Control
While cleaning up after a rodent infestation is important, it’s also a good idea to learn what you can do to prevent an infestation in the first place. Rat control and mouse control start with eliminating sources of sustenance, while making sure that potential entry points to the home are sealed, including doors, windows, vents, pipes, and any small opening that a rodent might slip through.
If you live in the Seattle / Puget Sound region or the Boise / Treasure Valley area, and believe you’re dealing with a rodent infestation or would like to learn more about how to prevent one in your home, remember that the professional rodent control team at Cascade Pest Control is always ready to assist with all of your rat and mouse control needs.
[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17897-hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome
