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For Immediate Release Monday, July 17, 2005
Second Hantavirus Case in Boulder County Serves as Reminder to Rodent Proof Your
Home
Contact: Boulder County Public Health
Chana Goussetis, Health Educator
303-413-7562
BOULDER - Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) has recorded its second case of
hantavirus. Public Health officials are currently investigating the case to
determine how the 22-year old female was infected.
The patient was admitted to a local hospital on July 6th complaining of a
fever and muscle pain. Her condition has improved significantly and she was
released from the hospital on July 12th.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a disease caused by a virus that is carried
by a particular type of mouse, the deer mouse. The virus can infect humans when
they breathe in dirt or dust contaminated with deer mice urine or droppings.
“Breathing in dust or dirt infected with mice droppings most likely to happen
when people have contact with infected mice or stir up dust while working in or
cleaning out rodent-infested structures such as barns; garages; storage sheds;
trailers or cabins,” said Heath Harmon, a BCPH epidemiologist.
Public health officials urge people to be particularly careful when there is
evidence of an active mouse infestation such as the presence of mouse droppings
or nests, damage caused by mice, or live mice being seen in and around the
buildings or nearby wood or junk piles. The wet spring months have increased the
amount of plant life in many parts of the county, leading to an increase in the
mouse population.
"The best way to reduce the risk of hantavirus infection is to avoid rodents,
especially deer mice,” said Joe Malinowski, BCPH Consumer Protection
Coordinator, “If you are seeing rodents in or around your home, its important to
do some rodent proofing and control as soon as possible.”
There are four steps to hantavirus prevention: rodent-proof homes and
buildings to keep mice out; eliminate rodent hiding places and food supplies;
conduct rodent control; and when cleaning rodent-infested structures, use
special precautions.
The following precautions are recommended to provide protection against
hantavirus:
- Before cleaning out rodent-infested structures, open doors or windows to
provide good exposure to the air for 30-to-60 minutes. Avoid stirring up dust
by spraying mouse droppings, nest materials, and mouse remains with a mixture
of one cup of bleach per gallon of water.
- Thoroughly soak down potentially contaminated areas with the bleach
mixture.
- Use rubber gloves to pick up soaked waste, including nesting materials or
dead mice. Double bag the waste using plastic bags, and bury or dispose of it
in an outdoor garbage can or landfill.
- In cases of severe infestation, or when ventilation and dust control are
not possible, use a rubber face mask with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)
filter.
- Seal any holes or openings larger than 1/4 inch to prevent mice from
entering a building.
- Store food, including pet food and livestock feed, and garbage in
rodent-proof containers. Rodent populations are increased by the availability
of food, so just eliminating food supplies will reduce the number of mice.
- Remove rodent hiding places such as wood, junk and brush piles. Store
firewood at least 100 feet from the house. Keep bushes and plants around
structures well trimmed and grass cut short.
- In rural areas or structures with mice infestations, rodent control, using
traps and poisons, should be conducted year-round.
- When camping, avoid sleeping on bare ground. Instead, use tents with
floors or cots.
Symptoms of hantavirus most often appear within 2-4 weeks after exposure to
the rodent droppings. During the first 1 to 5 days of illness symptoms typically
include fever; chills; headache; muscle pain especially in the lower back, and
legs; and in about half the cases severe nausea and vomiting. Initially
respiratory symptoms are absent; runny nose, sneezing, sinus congestion and
productive cough are not seen with HPS. After a few days of fever, headache and
muscle pain, patients experience a sudden start of respiratory problems such as
a dry cough and shortness of breath. Respiratory symptoms, due to a build-up of
fluid in the lungs, can advance very quickly and require prompt medical
attention.
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