Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) Fact Sheet
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Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus that is carried by rodents (mice and rats)
In the United States, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the
cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), the rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) in the
Southeast, and the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) in the
Northeast are the rodents that carry hantaviruses that cause HPS. Other
rodents that carry strains of hantavirus that cause HPS have yet to be
identified.
HPS is a rare disease and most people are NOT at risk for Hantavirus infection
You can catch HPS by direct contact with infected rodents or rodent
droppings (which look like black grains of rice), or by breathing in
dust that contains infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. A rodent
bite may also spread the virus. Person-to-person spread of hantaviruses
has not occurred in the United States. The virus is able to live in
dirt and dust for some time. People may be exposed when they spend time
outdoors, or when rodents are inside houses and outbuildings (such as
sheds, cabins, or barns).
Any activity where you directly touch rodents or their droppings,
urine, saliva, or nesting materials (twigs, insulation, shredded paper,
grass) and/or stir up dust in rodent-contaminated places may put you at
risk for HPS
- Sweeping, cleaning, and vacuuming closed up rooms, cabins, warehouses, sheds, barns, garages, and
outbuildings that have been closed during the winter and may be infested with rodents
- Going into crawl spaces under rodent infested houses
- Camping and hiking
- Symptoms may appear from a few days up to 6 weeks after exposure
Most people with HPS will have early symptoms much like those of the
flu: fever (101 to 104?F), tiredness, muscle aches, headaches,
dizziness, chills, and stomach problems (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and
pain). Later symptoms are coughing and difficulty breathing, which are
caused by fluid buildup in the lungs. These symptoms may last a few
hours to several days. HPS can result in death.
You can prevent HPS
1) Do not make buildings attractive to rodents
- Keep all eating, cooking, and food storage areas clean.
- Put all food, water, and garbage in metal or thick plastic
containers with tight fitting lids. Never leave pet food and water out
overnight.
- Get rid of trash and clutter, such as junk cars, old tires, wood, and trash piles.
- Keep garbage off the ground.
- Clear brush and trash from around homes and outbuildings.
2) Control rodent populations by keeping snap traps and/or using chemicals (rodenticides) to rid the area of rodents
3) Safely clean up rodent-infested areas
- Air out rodent infested places at least 30 minutes BEFORE cleanup.
- Spray or wet down all areas found with droppings, nesting, and other
materials with a household disinfectant, or with a bleach solution
(using 1½ cups of household bleach per gallon of water).
- DO NOT sweep, vacuum, or stir up dust until the area is thoroughly wet with disinfectant.
- Wear rubber gloves; wash gloves in disinfectant before removing; and WASH HANDS afterwards.
4) Avoid rodents when outdoors
- Do not disturb rodent droppings or camp or sleep near burrows or areas where trash is present.
- Avoid sleeping on bare ground (use a mat or off the ground cots).
- Do not sleep near woodpiles or garbage/trash areas.