The first case of hantavirus, a disease that is passed from rodents to humans, has been confirmed in Southfield, Michigan, as Fox News reports. It happened to a woman who was doing the cleanup in a vacant home located in Washtenaw county.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has stated that the first confirmed human case of Sin Nombre hantavirus has been confirmed in the state. The woman whose test turned positive was most likely exposed when she was cleaning an empty dwelling.
The house had all the typical signs of rodent infestation. The Sin Nombre virus is spread by deer mouse and white-footed mouse.
Rodents carry the hantavirus, and it can affect humans only when freshly dried droppings are disturbed and inhaled. The virus then enters the skin or mucous membranes while the person is eating or drinking. Bites from rodents can also pass on the virus. Going inside rodent-infested structures poses the highest contamination risk.
“HPS is caused by some strains of hantavirus and is a rare but severe and sometimes fatal respiratory disease that can occur one to five weeks after a person has exposure to fresh urine, droppings or saliva from infected rodents. Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus is at risk for HPS and healthcare providers with a suspect case of hantavirus should contact their local health department to report the case and discuss options for confirmatory testing,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, as reported by Fox News.
There is no evidence that hantavirus can be passed on from person to person.
- fever,
- chills,
- body aches,
- headaches, and
- gastro-intestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
The illness can also include coughing and shortness of breath.
“We can prevent and reduce the risk of hantavirus infection by being alert to the possibility of it. Use rubber, latex, vinyl or nitrile gloves when cleaning areas with rodent infestations, ventilate areas for at least 30 minutes before working, and make sure to wet areas thoroughly with a disinfectant or chlorine solution before cleaning,” Dr. Juan Luis Marquez, medical director with Washtenaw County Health Department, said while recommending precaution after the Southfield positive case of hantavirus.