Found a Mouse in Your Home? Here’s When You Actually Need to Worry About Hantavirus

Hantavirus, a respiratory virus unfold by rodents, has been within the headlines in current weeks; the virus was liable for the February loss of life of Betsy Arakawa, 65, the spouse of actor Gene Hackman.

An investigation report shared that Arakawa had been looking for data on-line about flu-like signs and respiratory methods within the days earlier than she died, in accordance with The Related Press.

The report additionally mentioned there have been rodent droppings, a nest, and traps on the couple’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, property. Although there didn’t seem like any rodent exercise in the home itself.

Arakawa’s stunning loss of life has introduced newfound consideration to hantavirus and the pulmonary an infection it causes, which is uncommon however could be lethal.

However even supposing tens of millions of People have reported seeing rodents of their residence, most individuals don’t want to fret about contracting hantavirus in the event that they spot a mouse of their residence, specialists mentioned.

“Clearly, rodent infestations and publicity are fairly widespread, however they not often ever really lead to hantavirus an infection,” Brian Dawes, MD, PhD, infectious illness fellow and postdoctoral researcher at Stanford Drugs, advised Well being.

There are various various kinds of hantaviruses that unfold around the globe—all of that are transmitted from rodents to people—however the principle one discovered within the U.S. is known as the Sin Nombre virus, mentioned Otto Yang, MD, professor of drugs within the division of infectious ailments on the UCLA David Geffen College of Drugs.

Hantavirus is especially carried by the deer mouse, which usually lives in rural areas west of the Mississippi River, corresponding to Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

These mice “are likely to have it with out getting sick and unfold it to one another,” Yang advised Well being. Nevertheless, typically deer mice can cross the virus to individuals.

People can contract hantavirus in the event that they inhale airborne particles launched from an contaminated rodent’s urine, saliva, or feces. In uncommon instances, a chunk can set off an an infection, however the overwhelming majority of instances are brought on by inhalation, in accordance with Dawes.

As soon as the virus is in your system, it may result in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

HPS causes flu-like signs corresponding to fever, fatigue, and muscle aches anyplace from one to eight weeks after an individual is first uncovered to the virus. Although it’s much less widespread, some individuals with HPS may also expertise chills, dizziness, complications, or gastrointestinal signs corresponding to nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Nearly all of individuals recuperate from hantavirus infections, notably in the event that they solely have extra delicate signs. Nevertheless, others might get sicker and develop chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath, and fluid of their lungs. Roughly 4 in 10 individuals who develop HPS die from it, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).

Fortunately, hantavirus is kind of uncommon. CDC knowledge present {that a} complete of 834 HPS instances had been reported between 1993 and 2022. The majority of those—94%—occurred west of the Mississippi River and roughly a 3rd had been deadly.

It’s not completely clear how these individuals grew to become contaminated with hantavirus, or what transmission mostly appears to be like like. Consultants aren’t positive precisely how lengthy it’s important to be close to an contaminated rodent—or their droppings, urine, or saliva—to get sick.

“It’s exhausting to know, as a result of we clearly can’t experiment by testing exposures of individuals to the service rodents,” mentioned Yang.

That mentioned, there do seem like some developments. Most instances happen after indoor publicity to rodents—assume cabins in rural areas, he defined. And since the virus is primarily unfold via the air, it’s much less probably that individuals get sick after being bitten by a mouse.

Hantavirus is uncommon, so your threat of getting sick remains to be low, even in the event you’re coping with rodents in your house.

Your threat actually is determined by the place you reside. Deer mice—the rodent that primarily carries hantavirus—often keep on with rural areas out west.

However “widespread home mice (Mus musculus), that are prevalent in city and suburban communities, don’t carry hantavirus,” mentioned Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, professor of laboratory drugs within the division of infectious ailments on the College of California, San Francisco. Meaning in the event you stay in a metropolis or the suburbs, it’s not possible you’ll catch hantavirus.

And, even in a Western, rural space, your property would must be infested with wild rodents carrying the virus. Plus, not all deer mice can get you sick—an older research estimated roughly 10% to 14% of deer mice carry hantavirus, whereas a 2024 research of rodents in New Mexico discovered lower than 9% of deer mice had the virus.

Basically, in the event you’re strolling exterior and see a mouse run by, “the danger is probably going minimal,” mentioned Yang. Nevertheless, in the event you’re vacationing in a cabin in Yosemite Nationwide Park—an space with a variety of mouse exercise and historical past of outbreaks—”you have to be extra involved,” he mentioned.

In case you see indicators of a rodent infestation in your house—specifically, mouse droppings—it’s at all times a good suggestion to proceed with warning. Since they will carry hantavirus or different infectious ailments, “at all times deal with rodent droppings as doubtlessly infectious,” mentioned Dawes.

Chiu recommends sealing up your own home with the assistance of an professional. It’s also possible to do away with any potential nesting areas and lure any visiting rodents.

It’s best to clear up totally different areas that may have been infested with rodents, too.

Air out your own home for half-hour earlier than cleansing, then use gloves and put on a high-quality face masks, the CDC suggests. As a substitute of sweeping or vacuuming, wipe down flooring and surfaces with a disinfectant or bleach. “This may assist kill a lot of the virus and make the feces [and] urine damp in order that it’s more durable to get into the air,” mentioned Dawes.

Nonetheless, keep upwind whilst you’re cleansing to additional decrease your threat of unintentionally inhaling doubtlessly contaminated dust or mud.

In case you develop any flu-like signs after being round mice in a rural surroundings, you need to go to an emergency room—ideally one which has an intensive care unit (ICU), suggested Yang.

HPS is usually handled with supportive care. And although some proof suggests an antiviral drug referred to as Ribavirin could also be useful, extra knowledge is required to higher perceive the drug’s results.

But it surely’s necessary to inform your physician in the event you had been doubtlessly uncovered to rodents—that method, they will determine (and deal with) the an infection sooner. “The sooner, the higher,” mentioned Yang, “as a result of HPS can progress in a short time.”