Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) : Part 7

by CDC

(Page 7 of 17)

Precautions for Workers in Affected Areas Who are Regularly Exposed to Rodents

Persons who frequently handle or are exposed to rodents (e.g., mammalogists, pest-control workers) in the affected area are probably at higher risk for hantavirus infection than the general public because of their frequency of exposure. Therefore, enhanced precautions are warranted to protect them against hantavirus infection.

Precautions To Be Used:

Workers in potentially high-risk settings should be informed about the symptoms of the disease and be given detailed guidance on prevention measures.

Workers who develop a febrile or respiratory illness within 45 days of the last potential exposure should immediately seek medical attention and inform the attending physician of the potential occupational risk of hantavirus infection. The physician should contact local health authorities promptly if hantavirus-associated illness is suspected. A blood sample should be obtained and forwarded with the baseline serum through the state health department to CDC for hantavirus antibody testing.

Workers should wear a half-face air-purifying (or negative-pressure) respirator or PAPR equipped with HEPA filters when removing rodents from traps or handling rodents in the affected area. (Please note: the HEPA classification recently has been discontinued. Under the new classification system, the N-100 filter type is recommended.

Respirators (including positive-pressure types) are not considered protective if facial hair interferes with the face seal, since proper fit cannot be assured. Respirator use practices should be in accord with a comprehensive user program and should be supervised by a knowledgeable person.

Workers should wear rubber or plastic gloves when handling rodents or handling traps containing rodents. Gloves should be washed and disinfected before removing them, as described above.

Traps contaminated by rodent urine or feces or in which a rodent was captured should be disinfected with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution. Dispose of dead rodents as described in the section on Eliminating Rodents inside the Home.

Persons removing organs or obtaining blood from rodents in affected areas should contact the Special Pathogens Branch, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, [telephone [phone]] for detailed safety precautions.

Precautions for Other Occupational Groups Who Have Potential Rodent Contact

Insufficient information is available at this time to allow general recommendations regarding risks or precautions for persons in the affected areas who work in occupations with unpredictable or incidental contact with rodents or their habitations. Examples of such occupations include telephone installers, maintenance workers, plumbers, electricians, and certain construction workers. Workers in these jobs may have to enter various buildings, crawl spaces, or other sites that may be rodent infested. Recommendations for such circumstances must be made on a case-by-case basis after the specific working environment has been assessed and state or local health departments have been consulted.

Precautions for Campers and Hikers in the Affected Areas

There is no evidence to suggest that travel into areas where HPS has been reported should be restricted. Most usual tourist activities pose little or no risk that travelers will be exposed to rodents or their urine and/or droppings.

However, persons who do outdoor activities such as camping or hiking in areas where the disease has been reported should take precautions to reduce the likelihood of their exposure to potentially infectious materials.

Useful Precautions:

Avoid coming into contact with rodents and rodent burrows or disturbing dens (such as pack rat nests). Air out, then disinfect cabins or shelters before using them. These places often shelter rodents.

Do not pitch tents or place sleeping bags in areas in proximity to rodent droppings or burrows or near areas that may shelter rodents or provide food for them (e.g., garbage dumps or woodpiles).

If possible, do not sleep on the bare ground. In shelters, use a cot with the sleeping surface at least 12 inches above the ground. Use tents with floors or a ground cloth if sleeping in the open air.

Keep food in rodent-proof containers! Promptly bury (or - preferably - burn followed by burying, when in accordance with local requirements) all garbage and trash, or discard in covered trash containers.

Use only bottled water or water that has been disinfected by filtration, boiling, chlorination, or iodination for drinking, cooking, washing dishes, and brushing teeth.

And last but not least, do not play with or handle any rodents that show up at the camping or hiking site, even if they appear friendly.

About the Author

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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.