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Hantavirus Information

Los Alamos National Laboratory, May 1997 (Rev.2)

There is evidence that hantavirus is the cause of a potentially fatal respiratory disease. Hantavirus is carried in the urine, salvia and feces if rodents, particularly rats and field mice. The greatest risk exposure is from breathing an aerosol containing the virus. The following precautions are recommended by Los Alamos National Lab personnel to help deter hantavirus exposure.

Controlling Rodent Exposure in Occupied Work Areas

  • Reduce the amount of food and water that is available to rodents.
  • Keep food covered or in a refrigerator.
  • Do not leave dirty dishes out for long periods or allow them to soak in water.
  • Keep all bulk grains and animal foods outside in secure containers.
  • Do not overfeed birds.
  • Improve housekeeping in work spaces and storage areas to limit the availability of nesting areas.
  • Place garbage in rodent-proof containers, and empty the containers regularly (preferably daily).
  • Seal, cover, or screen all openings that are large enough for mice to enter (anything over inch). This includes areas where pipes and wires enter the building.
  • If you discover animal nests, droppings, or carcasses in your work area, contact your Facility Management Area Coordinator for removal. If your area does not have a designated FMAC, contact JCI Roads and Grounds at 7-6111for proper disinfection and removal. JCI will spray the nests with a commercially available flea insecticide, disinfect the area, and appropriately dispose of the contaminated materials.

Trapping and Clean-up Methods

Employees are strongly encouraged to avoid contact with rodents and rodent materials. Employees should contact the Service Control Center at Ext. 3494 for renewal and rodent-proofing.

However, if any employee chooses to clean-up rodents or droppings before the appropriate personnel can arrive, the following precautions should be taken.

Disinfection

  • Wear rubber gloves when handling any rodent material.
  • Use one of the following disinfectants to kill the virus. Apply the solution liberally (poured or sprayed on the material) before sweeping or mopping.
    • Dilute bleach (1 part bleach plus 9 parts water, make fresh daily)
    • Lysol or other diphenol (dilute as recommended on the bottle)
    • 70% Alcohol
  • If reusable rubber gloves are used, wash them with disinfectant, and them with soap and water. Disinfect any utensils that were used.

Rodent Trapping

  • DO NOT USE RODENT POISONS.
  • Use spring-loaded traps that kill the rodent. The traps should be placed on newspapers and baited appropriately.
  • After catching a mouse, sprinkle the newspaper with the recommended amount of flea insecticide. The insecticide will kill fleas to prevent the transmission of plague. Commercially available insecticides include Sevin (carbaryl powder) or pyrethrin sprays.
  • Wear rubber gloves, saturate the mouse with disinfectant, and wait five minutes for the virus to be inactivated.
  • Wrap the newspaper around the mouse and the trap, deposit these materials in a double plastic bag, and place the bag in the dumpster.
  • If traps are reused, spray them thoroughly with disinfectant as described in the "clean-up methods."

Miscellaneous

  • Vacuuming is not an acceptable for cleaning up rodent droppings. Fecal material should be saturated with disinfectant and collected in a plastic bag.
  • Carpets and upholstered furniture can be cleaned with disinfectant or with commercial steam cleaners.
  • Contaminated clothing should be laundered with detergent and hot water.

Disposal of Contaminated Materials

Contaminated materials should be soaked with the disinfectant mentioned above and then double-bagged in plastic for refuse collection.

At CSUF: Please contact EH&IS at 7233 for more information.

These recommendations were prepared with input from the New Mexico Department of Health, New Mexico Environmental Department, Arizona Department of Health Services, the Navajo Division of Health, Indian Health Service, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.