Rodents can carry various pathogens, and hantavirus stands out as a serious health concern associated with certain rodent species. Understanding how hantavirus spreads and which animals are involved is important for public health, helping to distinguish between actual risks and common misconceptions.
Understanding Hantavirus
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses that can cause severe illness in humans. In the Americas, the primary concern is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory disease. People contract hantavirus by inhaling airborne particles from the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents, often when contaminated areas are disturbed. Less commonly, transmission can occur through direct contact with contaminated materials, eating contaminated food, or rarely, through a rodent bite.
Symptoms of HPS often begin with flu-like signs, including fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, particularly in large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, and back. Headaches, chills, dizziness, and gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea may also occur. These early symptoms can last for several days, typically appearing 1 to 8 weeks after exposure. As the disease progresses, it can lead to severe respiratory problems, including cough, difficulty breathing, and fluid accumulation in the lungs. HPS can rapidly worsen, resulting in life-threatening lung and heart complications, with a fatality rate ranging from 30% to 50%.
The Primary Carriers of Hantavirus
In the United States, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is primarily associated with specific wild rodent species. The deer mouse is the most common carrier of the hantavirus strain that causes HPS in North America. Deer mice are found across North America in various environments, including rural settings.
Other carriers in the United States include the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), found in the southeastern U.S., and the rice rat (Oryzomys palustris), also prevalent in the southeastern U.S. The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus), found across much of the U.S. and Mexico, particularly in the Northeast, can also carry hantavirus strains.
Roof Rats and Hantavirus
Roof rats are not considered primary carriers of the hantavirus strains that cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in North America. While roof rats can transmit other diseases, hantavirus is not commonly associated with them.
Roof rats are slender rodents, typically grayish to dark gray or black, with a tail longer than their head and body combined. They are also known as black rats or ship rats. These agile climbers prefer elevated habitats, such as attics, eaves, rooflines, and trees, which is how they earned their common name. They are often found in coastal states and warmer climates, utilizing structures and dense vegetation for shelter.
Protecting Yourself from Rodent-Borne Diseases
Safeguarding against rodent-borne diseases involves proactive measures focused on rodent control and hygiene. Preventing rodents from entering your home includes sealing any potential entry points, even small holes a pencil could fit through. Proper food storage in rodent-proof containers with tight-fitting lids is important, along with promptly cleaning up any spilled food.
When cleaning areas that may have been infested by rodents, specific precautions should be followed to minimize exposure to pathogens, including hantavirus. Ventilate the space for at least 30 minutes by opening doors and windows before beginning cleanup. Avoid sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials, as this can aerosolize viral particles.
Instead, wear protective gloves and thoroughly wet contaminated areas, including dead rodents, droppings, and nests, with a disinfectant solution, such as a mixture of 1.5 cups of household bleach per gallon of water. Allow the solution to soak for five to ten minutes before wiping up the materials with paper towels or disposable rags, which should then be double-bagged and placed in a sealed garbage can. After cleaning, wash gloved hands with soap and water or disinfectant before removing the gloves, and then wash bare hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.