Wyoming residents cleaning garages, campers, cabins, hay stacks and barns should be aware that rodent droppings can signal the need to avoid hantavirus infection, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.
“Hantavirus is uncommon, but is a dangerous and potentially deadly disease,” said Dr. Tracy Murphy, state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health. Nine HPS cases have been reported in Wyoming since 2000. A case last year in Carbon County resulted in death, as well as two unrelated cases in 2008.
Murphy said infected rodents shed the virus through urine, droppings and saliva. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is transmitted to humans when they breathe infectious aerosols created when dried materials contaminated by rodent urine and feces or saliva are disturbed. Infection is also possible when the virus is directly introduced into broken skin or mucous membranes, if it is ingested or after rodent bites.
“Hantavirus is uncommon, but is a dangerous and potentially deadly disease,” said Dr. Tracy Murphy, state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health. Nine HPS cases have been reported in Wyoming since 2000. A case last year in Carbon County resulted in death, as well as two unrelated cases in 2008.
Murphy said infected rodents shed the virus through urine, droppings and saliva. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is transmitted to humans when they breathe infectious aerosols created when dried materials contaminated by rodent urine and feces or saliva are disturbed. Infection is also possible when the virus is directly introduced into broken skin or mucous membranes, if it is ingested or after rodent bites.
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