Here’s how the virus spreads and how to lower your risk.
Reviewed by Dietitian Casey Wing, RD, CD
Key Points
- Hantavirus is rare in the U.S., with infections mainly linked to exposure to infected rodents or droppings.
- Prevent hantavirus by sealing rodent entry points, storing food properly and cleaning safely.
- Symptoms can escalate quickly; seek medical care if severe respiratory issues follow rodent exposure.
Recent headlines about hantavirus have raised concerns about whether people should be worried about another infectious disease threat. While hearing about a rare, unfamiliar virus can sound alarming, infectious disease experts say hantavirus infections remain uncommon, and for most people, the overall risk is still very low.
“Hantavirus is not a typical pathogen,” says Tyler Evans, MD, MS, MPH, DTM&H, FIDSACEO and co-founder of Wellness Equity Alliance. “Unlike norovirus or the respiratory bugs that move easily between people, hantaviruses are spread mostly through contact with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents.”
However, understanding how hantavirus spreads and how to reduce your exposure to rodents and their droppings can help you stay safe. Here’s what experts want you to know.
What Is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus refers to a group of viruses primarily carried by rodents. In the U.S., the virus most commonly associated with human illness is spread by deer mice.
Human infections are rare but can be serious. Hantavirus can cause a severe respiratory illness known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Early symptoms often resemble the flu, which can make the illness difficult to recognize at first.
Symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Chills
- Nausea or vomiting
As the illness progresses, some people may develop coughing and shortness of breath as fluid builds up in the lungs. Symptoms can worsen quickly, so medical attention is essential if someone develops severe respiratory symptoms after potential rodent exposure.
How Does Hantavirus Spread?
Hantavirus does not spread as easily as common respiratory viruses like the flu or COVID-19. Infections usually occur through contact with infected rodents or the particles they leave behind.
People are most often exposed when virus particles from rodent urine, saliva or droppings become airborne and are inhaled. This can happen when cleaning enclosed spaces like garages, sheds, cabins, crawl spaces or basements where rodents have been present.
“In general, hantavirus is difficult to catch and requires fairly specific exposure to infected rodents or their droppings,” Evans explains. “The Andes virus, which is found in Chile and Argentina, is the only hantavirus documented to transmit from person to person, and requires prolonged or close physical contact.”
However, certain factors may increase your exposure risk, such as:
- Living in or cleaning rodent-infested spaces
- Disturbing rodent nests or droppings
- Spending time in rural cabins, sheds or poorly ventilated buildings
- Storing food improperly, which can attract rodents
What Can You Do to Lower Your Risk?
The best way to reduce your risk of hantavirus is to minimize contact with rodents and prevent them from entering your home in the first place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends sealing holes or gaps where mice can enter, storing food in sealed containers and keeping kitchens and food preparation areas clean.
If you need to clean an area with rodent droppings, avoid sweeping or vacuuming dry waste, which can send virus particles into the air. Instead:
- Open windows and ventilate the area first.
- Wear gloves.
- Spray droppings with disinfectant or a bleach solution.
- Wipe up the material with paper towels.
- Dispose of waste carefully and wash hands thoroughly afterward.
Should You Be Worried?
For most people, hantavirus is a very low-risk infection. Cases are rare and the virus does not spread easily between people in the U.S. “The risk to the general American public remains low, and that is the CDC’s current assessment as well,” says Evans.
The good news is that taking some simple prevention measures can help significantly lower your risk, such as keeping rodents out of your home, properly cleaning contaminated spaces and avoiding direct exposure to rodent droppings.
Our Expert Take
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious virus linked mainly to exposure to rodents and their droppings. While recent headlines may sound alarming, infectious disease experts say the average person’s risk remains low, especially when proper prevention steps are taken. To lower your risk, reduce your exposure to rodents in and around your home by sealing entry points, storing food properly and safely cleaning rodent-contaminated areas.
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