SouthernWorldwide.com – Following a recent hantavirus outbreak that originated on the MV Hondius cruise ship traversing the Atlantic, health experts are now investigating the possibility that Americans may be unknowingly exposed to the virus in their daily environments.
The particular strain implicated in the MV Hondius incident, the rare Andes virus, is unique among hantaviruses for its capacity to transmit between humans. This transmission typically occurs through sustained, close contact with an infected individual.
Dr. Linda Yancey, an infectious disease specialist at Memorial Hermann in the Houston area, noted that the majority of hantavirus cases in the United States are predominantly found in the desert Southwest and along the West Coast.
Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents, most commonly deer mice. The virus can be present in their urine, droppings, and saliva, as detailed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Infection can occur when individuals inhale contaminated particles that have been aerosolized, or by touching contaminated surfaces and subsequently touching their nose or mouth. On rarer occasions, the virus can also be spread through rodent bites.
Health officials indicate that exposure is most probable when cleaning confined or poorly ventilated spaces where rodents might have resided undetected for extended periods, potentially weeks or months.
Areas posing a risk include garages, sheds, cabins, attics, barns, and crawl spaces. Storage units, stables, kitchen cabinets, and the spaces behind appliances can also become exposure sites if rodents are present.
Rodents can also establish nests in vehicles that are not in use, such as RVs, campers, and boats. These can become sources of exposure when the vehicles are reopened after a period of disuse.
The National Park Service reports that most human hantavirus cases emerge in the spring and are often associated with buildings that have become heavily infested with rodents during the winter months.
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“The majority of exposures happen when people are cleaning out sheds and garages where rodents have been living,” Dr. Yancey confirmed. “You can be exposed simply by the dust and droppings left behind by rodents – you don’t even need to see the rodent to be exposed.”
Experts caution that the risk of inhaling the virus is heightened when opening buildings that have been vacant for extended durations, when sweeping dusty floors, or when moving and unpacking boxes.
Exposure to rodents is not confined to indoor environments. Health officials advise that individuals may also encounter hantavirus risks when handling firewood, working in outdoor areas known to harbor rodents, or disturbing rodent nests and burrows.
To mitigate the risk of infection, Dr. Yancey recommends wearing a mask and using a diluted bleach solution to moisten any dust or loose debris when cleaning a structure that may have housed rodents.
“This will help kill the exposed virus and reduce the amount of infectious dust,” Dr. Yancey stated.
The CDC advises against vacuuming or sweeping rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials, as these actions can aerosolize the virus, thereby increasing the inhalation risk.
Instead, health officials suggest wearing gloves, soaking rodent droppings with a disinfectant, wiping them up with paper towels, properly disposing of the waste, and thoroughly cleaning surfaces. This should be followed by diligent handwashing.
According to public health guidance, indicators of rodent activity can include droppings, remnants of nesting materials, gnaw marks, a strong musky odor, and scratching sounds emanating from within walls or ceilings.
