Hantavirus Deaths Reported in Three More Colorado Counties
Coloradans Urged to Take Precautions
July 17, 2007—DENVER—The Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment has
confirmed three hantavirus pulmonary syndrome deaths in the
past five
days, one each in rural Custer, Costilla and Park counties.
Investigations are being conducted to determine the source
of each
hantavirus exposure. This brings the number of hantavirus
pulmonary
syndrome cases in Colorado in 2007 to six, with four deaths.
Two cases
reported in May occurred in Weld and Alamosa counties; the
patient from
Alamosa died. Two weeks ago another hantavirus case from
Park County
was confirmed in a patient who survived after a prolonged
hospitalization.
Hantavirus is a serious respiratory disease carried by
deer mice, which
are rural mice. With the confirmation of four cases within
the past two
weeks, state health officials are warning Coloradans in the
rural part
of the state to be cautious and avoid exposure to hantavirus
when
working in and around cabins, buildings, sheds and barns
where deer
mouse populations have left droppings. John Pape, a
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
epidemiologist who specializes in animal-related diseases,
said, “The
virus can infect humans when they inhale dirt and dust
contaminated with
deer mice urine and feces, which occurs when people have
contact with
infected mice or stir up dust while working in or cleaning
out
rodent-infested structures.” Since the drought
conditions eased in the past couple years, there have
been an increasing number of cases reported corresponding to
the rise in
rodent populations. In 2005, there were a record 11 cases,
one of which
was fatal. Six cases, two fatal, were reported in 2006.
Since the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment began
tracking
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in 1993, the state has
documented 61 cases
with 23 fatalities (38 percent).
Pape urged people to be particularly careful where
there are mouse
droppings or other evidence that mice have been in and
around buildings
or wood piles. A large, rapid increase in the number of mice
around a
home often precedes a human case, he said. “Seeing a large
jump in the
deer mouse populations around a home should be considered a
red flag,”
he said. “Several signs are pointing to a
potentially higher risk of
hantavirus exposure this year,” explained Pape. “May, June
and July
are the months when most of our human cases occur, so we
want to remind
people to be aware of the rodents around their homes and
take
precautions to protect their families.” If live
mice are occupying a structure, rodent control should be
done
before extensive cleaning efforts. The structures should be
ventilated
thoroughly and any accumulation of dust, dirt and mouse
droppings should
be sprayed with a mixture of bleach and water before any
cleaning
begins. “Just vacuuming an area without first wetting it
down doesn't
provide the necessary protection,” Pape emphasized.
He suggested rodent-proofing the home by eliminating food
sources for
rodents and removing abandoned vehicles, wood, brush and
junk piles
where rodents hide.
“If you are living or staying in rural areas and have
deer mice
around, you can assume you and members of your family are at
some risk.
The more live mice that are present, the greater the risk,
although some
people have been infected by directly handling a single
mouse,” he
said.
Additional precautions to provide protection against
hantavirus
include:
- Rodent-proof buildings by plugging holes or other
mouse
entryways.
- In rural areas, conduct year-round rodent control
using traps or
poisons, or hire a professional exterminator. Don’t wait
until the
mouse population spikes.
- Make home or work areas unattractive to rodents by
keeping
indoor areas clean, especially kitchens. Store food in
rodent-proof
containers. This includes pet, livestock and bird food.
Properly dispose
of garbage in sealed containers.
- Store firewood at least 100 feet from the house. Keep
vegetation
around the house short and well trimmed.
- Open doors or windows to provide good ventilation for
30 to 60
minutes before cleaning out structures. Avoid stirring up
dust by
watering down areas of mouse infestation with a mixture of
bleach and
water.
SYMPTOMS Hantavirus begins with high fever,
severe body aches, a headache and
vomiting. The onset of these symptoms begins from one week
to six weeks
after exposure. Initially, there are no respiratory
symptoms present. Symptoms such as
a runny nose, sneezing, sinus congestion, and a cough that
produces
phlegm are not associated with hantavirus infection.
However, within one
to five days, the illness quickly progresses to respiratory
distress,
including shortness of breath and difficulty breathing,
caused by the
lungs filling with fluid. Because no effective
treatment exists for the disease, Pape emphasized
prevention as the key to avoiding hantavirus. Pape
said, “When hantavirus infection is suspected or confirmed,
early admission to a hospital where careful monitoring,
treatment of
symptoms and supportive therapy can be provided is most
important. If
you become ill with these symptoms, it is important to tell
your
physician about exposures to deer mice or rodent-infested
environments.” DEER MOUSE DESCRIPTION Deer
mice are brown on top and white underneath, with a very
distinct
separation of these colors. They have large ears relative to
their head
size. House mice on the other hand are all gray and have
small ears. The
small, gray house mice commonly found in urban areas do not
carry the
disease.
For more information about hantavirus, call the
Colorado HELP hotline
at 1-877-462-2911. ---30--- |
