Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) : Part 5

by CDC

(Page 5 of 17)

Prevention Indoors and Outdoors

Indoors:

Keep a clean home, especially kitchen (wash dishes, clean counters and floor, keep food covered in rodent-proof containers). Keep a tight-fitting lid on garbage, discard uneaten pet food at the end of the day.

Set and keep spring-loaded rodent traps. Set traps near baseboards because rodents tend to run along walls and in tight spaces rather than out in the open.

Set Environmental Protection Agency-approved rodenticide with bait under plywood or plastic shelter along baseboards. These are sometimes known as "covered bait stations." Remember to follow product use instructions carefully, since rodenticides are poisonous to pets and people, too.

Seal all entry holes 1/4 inch wide or wider with lath screen or lath metal, cement, wire screening or other patching materials, inside and out.

If bubonic plague is a problem in your area, spray flea killer or spread flea powder in the area before setting traps. This is important. If you control rodents but do not control fleas as well, you may increase the risk of infection with bubonic plague, since fleas will leave rodents once the rodents die and will seek out other food sources, including humans.

Outdoors:

Clear brush, grass and junk from around house foundations to eliminate a source of nesting materials.

Use metal flashing around the base of wooden, earthen or adobe homes to provide a strong metal barrier. Install so that the flashing reaches 12 inches above the ground and six inches down into the ground.

Elevate hay, woodpiles and garbage cans to eliminate possible nesting sites. If possible, locate them 100 feet or more from your house. Trap rodents outside, too. Poisons or rodenticides may be used as well, but be sure to keep them out of the reach of children or pets.

Encourage the presence of natural predators, such as non-poisonous snakes, owls and hawks. Remember, getting rid of all rodents isn't feasible, but with ongoing effort you can keep the population very low.

Some Common Signs of Rodent Infestation

Remember that not all types of rodents carry hantavirus. Neither common house mice nor common rats have been associated with HPS in humans, for example. Yet because it can be tough to tell just what kind of rodents you have, play it safe - clean up the infestation and rodent-proof your home or workplace.

Here are some common signs that you may have a rodent problem.

Rodent Droppings

This is one of the most reliable signs that you have a rodent problem. You may find droppings in places where you store your food or your pet/animal food, such as in cupboards and drawers or in bins. Because mice like to run in places that offer them some protection from predators, you may find droppings in cupboards or under the sink, along walls, or on top of wall studs or beams. Mice will leave droppings near their nests as well (see below). Storage rooms, sheds, barns, or cabins loaded with boxes, bags, old furniture, and other objects make anideal home for rodents, so you may find droppings there, even inside boxes and other containers.

Workplaces can also make good rodent homes. Warehouses, restaurants, and the like are obvious places to look because food may be plentiful there. However, rodents can infest office buildings, too. Once again, look for droppings in protected places, such as closets, storage rooms, or inside boxes.

Signs of Rodent Nests

Rodents tend to build their nests from materials that are soft, fuzzy, or warm. Among common rodent nest materials are shredded paper, bunches of dry grass or small twigs, fabric, andfurniture stuffing. Rodents will nest wherever safety from enemies can be found close enough to food and water, and they prefer places that are relatively quiet.

Food Boxes, Containers, or Food Itself That Appears To Be Nibbled

Look for droppings nearby. Rodents can chew through plastic, so plastic bags do not make safe food storage containers.

Signs of Rodent "Feeding Stations"

These are semi-hidden spots where rodents eat food they have collected. At these stations, rodents may leave larger-than-normal amounts of droppings/urine, plus remnants of a variety of foods (such as nut shells), bits of plastic or paper, and cockroach carcasses.

You Find Evidence of Gnawing

To get to food, rodents will gnaw on almost anything that is softer than the enamel of their teeth. This includes such things as wood, paper board, cloth sacks, and materials even harder than these. Because rodents' teeth grow continuously, they must gnaw to keep them short. That may help to explain why chair legs or similar surfaces show gnawed spots or tooth marks in rodent-infested places.

You Notice an Odd, Stale Smell

In closed-up rooms infested by rodents, you will commonly smell an unusual, musky odor.

You See a Mouse in Your House

Rodents are normally active at night, and generally avoid humans. If you have rodents, unless the infestation is large, you may never see one.

About the Author

www.cdc.gov
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the 13 major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the principal agency in the United States government for protecting the health and safety of all Americans and for providing essential human services, especially for those people who are least able to help themselves.