Hestia Homeschool for Young Wild Women

Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, is it true, does it improve on the silence?

-Sai Baba

Small But Deadly

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) has been recognized as a disease only recently in North America. So far, it's also fairly uncommon and the chances of becoming infected are low. However, HPS is potentially deadly and immediate intensive care is essential once symptoms appear.

The Mouse That Roared

Hantaviruses that cause HPS are carried by rodents, especially the deer mouse. You can become infected by exposure to their droppings, and the first signs of sickness (especially fever and muscle aches) appear 1 to 5 weeks later, followed by shortness of breath and coughing.  Once this phase begins, the disease progresses rapidly, necessitating hospitalization and often ventilation within 24 hours.

Prevention is the best strategy, and it simply means taking some very practical steps to minimize your contact with rodents. HPS is not contagious from person to person in the United States.  

Hantavirus is the name of a group of viruses. Most of the hantaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which is an illness that is characterized by fever, kidney failure, and internal bleeding.

In 1993, a hantavirus was identified as the cause of a deadly new disease that had broken out in the Southwestern United States. Although infection with any hantavirus is rare, 17 people became ill and 13 died in this outbreak. The disease became known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The hantavirus that causes this disease is carried by the deer mouse, a rodent that lives in much of the United States. At first, the virus was called the Four Corners or Muerto Canyon virus. It is now named the Sin Nombre virus.

Most other hantaviruses attack the kidneys. The Sin Nombre virus, however, attacks the lungs. Early symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome resemble those of a severe cold or flu, such as fever, cough, and muscle aches. Then the lungs rapidly fill with fluid, which leads to respiratory failure and often causes death. There is no cure for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Doctors treat the symptoms by administering oxygen and medication. Since 1993, cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been reported throughout a large part of the United States.

Scientists think that most hantaviruses are carried by rodents and spread through rodent urine and droppings. People usually become infected by breathing dust or soil that contains tiny particles of dried droppings. A person infected with most strains of the virus does not spread the disease to other people. However, scientists think that a hantavirus may have spread from person to person during a 1996 outbreak in Argentina.

To help prevent infection from hantaviruses, people should keep mice and rats away from areas where human beings live and work. Disinfectants should be used to clean areas where rodents may have been. When removing rodents from traps, rubber gloves should always be worn.

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• #3 Comment from rgossett4195 
  4/16/05 9:38 AM | Permalink

  Wow what timing my cat just brought me a mouse a couple of days ago.  I trapped him in an old pitcher and put him outside.  But I've had mice in my kitchen and after I get done here I am going to get out the disinfectant and do a good cleaning.  THANKS!!!  rose
• #2 Comment from my78novata 
  4/16/05 9:34 AM | Permalink

  I feed the mice in our garage. It keeps them from tearing into everhtying LOL
• #1 Comment from hestiahomeschoolEntry Author 
  4/15/05 7:52 PM | Permalink

  I wish my DH would just let us let the cats back in...