Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but deadly viral infection. It is spread by mice and rats. They shed the virus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. Tiny droplets with the virus can enter the air. People can get the disease if they breathe infected air or come into contact with rodents or their urine or droppings. You cannot catch it from people.

Early symptoms of HPS include

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Muscle aches, especially in the thighs, hips and back
• Headaches
• Chills
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain

Later symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath.

Controlling rodents in and around your house is the best way to prevent infection. If you have been around rodents and have symptoms of fever, deep muscle aches, and severe shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately.

There is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for HPS. Patients may do better if it is recognized early and they get medical care in an intensive care unit. They often need to use a breathing machine and have oxygen therapy.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans caused by infection with hantaviruses.

Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantaviruses is at risk of HPS. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure. Even healthy individuals are at risk for HPS infection if exposed to the virus.

To date, no cases of HPS have been reported in the United States in which the virus was transmitted from one person to another. In fact, in a study of health care workers who were exposed to either patients or specimens infected with related types of hantaviruses (which cause a different disease in humans), none of the workers showed evidence of infection or illness.

Radiographic progression of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in patient 1. (a) Chest radiograph on presentation; (b) chest radiograph on day two of admission following ECMO; (c) chest radiograph on day 10 of admission following extubation.

In Chile and Argentina, rare cases of person-to-person transmission have occurred among close contacts of a person who was ill with a type of hantavirus called Andes virus.

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents and can cause varied disease syndromes in people worldwide. Infection with any hantavirus can produce hantavirus disease in people. Hantaviruses in the Americas are known as “New World” hantaviruses and may cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Other hantaviruses, known as “Old World” hantaviruses, are found mostly in Europe and Asia and may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

Each hantavirus serotype has a specific rodent host species and is spread to people via aerosolized virus that is shed in urine, feces, and saliva, and less frequently by a bite from an infected host. The most important hantavirus in the United States that can cause HPS is the Sin Nombre virus, spread by the deer mouse.

In the United States and Canada, Sin Nombre virus is responsible for the majority of hantavirus cases leading to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Outside North America, individual cases and small clusters of HPS have been reported in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Panama, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Learn more about HPS in the Americas.

In Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico, viruses similar to Sin Nombre virus have been found in rodents. These particular hantaviruses have not been known to make people sick.

Andes Virus

Andes virus is a type of hantavirus found in rodents in South America. Like other hantaviruses, infection with Andes virus can lead to HPS.

Andes virus is found primarily in Argentina and Chile. While rodents in the United States do not carry Andes virus, the first confirmed importation of Andes virus infection in the United States occurred in January 2018 in a traveler returning from the Andes region of Argentina and Chile.

Andes Virus Transmission

People can become infected with Andes virus if they are exposed to infected rodents or their droppings while in South America. Rodents infected with Andes virus do not appear ill, so there is no way to tell if the rodent is infected.

While it is rare, Andes virus can spread between people through:

• Direct contact with an ill person or their body fluids (such as blood, saliva, urine, or semen).
• Spending more than 1 hour in close proximity to an ill person.

If you have symptoms of hantavirus infection and you have been in close contact with either South American rodents, their droppings, or an ill person infected with Andes virus, seek medical care immediately.

Healthcare providers should consider Andes virus in returning travelers with nonspecific febrile illness or acute respiratory disease with a travel history that includes the Andes region of Argentina or Chile in the preceding 6 weeks.

Healthcare providers are at risk of acquiring the Andes virus while caring for a patient. Use standard contact and droplet precautions when managing patients with Andes virus. Learn more about preventing hospital-acquired infections.

Andes Virus Prevention

To prevent Andes virus infection:

• Avoid areas infested with rodents or with signs of rodent infestation such as droppings.
• Disinfect areas with signs of rodents.
• Wash hands frequently.
• Avoid kissing and sexual intercourse with a patient ill with Andes virus.
• Avoid sharing close physical space for prolonged time with an ill Andes virus patient.

In addition to Sin Nombre virus and Andes virus, other, rarer hantaviruses that cause HPS are found in the Americas. For current information related to outbreaks of HPS in the Americas, visit the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

The cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus), found in the southeastern US and down into Central and South America, has a bigger body than the deer mouse. The head and body measure approximately 5–7 inches (12.5cm–18cm), with another 3–4 inches (7.5cm–10cm) for the tail. The fur is longer and coarser, grayish-brown, even grayish-black, in color. The hantavirus strain present in the cotton rat is Black Creek Canal virus (BCCV). The cotton rat inhabits overgrown areas with shrubs and tall grasses.

Cotton Rat Habitat in North America

The cotton rat is found in the southeastern US and down into Central and South America. It inhabits overgrown areas with shrubs and tall grasses.

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)

The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is a deceptively cute animal, with big eyes and ears. Its head and body measure approximately 2–3 inches (5cm–7.5cm) in length, and the tail adds another 2–3 inches. In color, the deer mouse ranges from grey to reddish brown, depending on age. The underbelly is always white and the tail has clearly defined white sides. The hantavirus strain present in deer mice is Sin Nombre(SNV). The deer mouse is found throughout North America, preferring woodlands, but also appearing in desert areas.

Deer Mouse Habitat in North America

The deer mouse is found throughout North America, preferring woodlands, but also appearing in desert areas.

Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris)

The rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) is slightly smaller than the cotton rat, with a 5–6 inch (7.5cm–15cm) head and a very long 4–7 inch (10cm–18cm) tail. It has short, soft, grayish-brown fur on top, and gray or tawny underbellies. Their feet are whitish. The rice rat prefers marshy areas and is semi-aquatic. The hantavirus strain present in the rice rat is Bayou virus (BAYV). It is found in the southeastern US and Central America.

Rice Rat Habitat in North America

The rice rat prefers marshy areas and is semi-aquatic. It is found in the southeastern US and Central America.

White-Footed Mouse ((Peromyscus leucopus))

The white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) closely resembles the deer mouse. Head and body together measure approximately four inches (10cm). The tail is normally shorter than the body, typically 2–4 inches (5cm–10cm). Its top fur ranges from pale to reddish brown, while its underside and feet are white. The virus strain present in the white-footed mouse is New York virus (NYV). The white-footed mouse is found throughout southern New England, the Mid-Atlantic, parts of the southern states, the midwestern and western states, and Mexico. It prefers wooded and brushy areas, although it will sometimes inhabit more open ground.

White-Footed Mouse Habitat in North America

The white-footed mouse is found throughout southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic and southern states, the midwestern and western states, and Mexico. It prefers wooded and brushy areas, although it will sometime inhabit more open ground.

Rodents can carry dangerous pathogens, like hantavirus. Hantaviruses are a family of viruses found worldwide. In the United States, deer mice and other wild rodents can shed hantavirus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. People can become infected when they breathe in contaminated air. This can happen when cleaning rodent-infested areas in your home or vehicle – or when opening cabins, sheds, or outbuildings (like barns and storage facilities) that have been closed for the winter – which can stir up dust and dirt that contains urine, droppings, or nesting materials from an infected rodent. The virus can also be spread if an infected rodent bites someone. Scientists also believe people may be able to get the virus if they eat contaminated food or if they touch something that is contaminated and then touch their nose or mouth. In the United States, infection with hantavirus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Symptoms of HPS usually first look like the flu, with fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. Later symptoms of HPS include shortness of breath, cough, and difficulty breathing. HPS can be fatal, so it’s important to take these prevention tips with you anywhere that rodents may live.

Key Facts

• There is no way to tell if a rodent is infected with hantavirus by its appearance; use safe cleaning practices every time you find rodent infestations.
• If you find rodent droppings, nesting material, or other signs of rodent activity, use disinfectant to wet down the area before cleaning it up. It is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming up droppings, urine, or nesting materials. Wear gloves and be sure to wash your hands after you have finished cleaning.
• If you develop flu-like symptoms with difficulty breathing after coming into contact with rodents or a rodent-infested area, go to the doctor.

Sweeping Outdoors

Cleaning in and around your home can put you at risk for hantavirus infections if rodents have made it their home, too.

Cabin in the Woods

Opening or cleaning cabins that have been closed during the winter is a potential risk for hantavirus infections, especially in rural settings.

Pets Can Carry Hantavirus

Pet rats can also carry a type of hantavirus called Seoul virus, which caused illnesses in rats and their owners in 11 states in 2017.

Prevention Tips

Prevent hantavirus by limiting contact with rodents in your home, workplace, or campsite:

• Seal up holes and gaps in your home or garage where rodents may be coming in.
• Place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation.
• Put human food and animal feed in containers that rodents cannot access (such as sealed containers made of metal or durable plastic).

Where Hantavirus is Found

Cases of human hantavirus infection occur sporadically, usually in rural areas where forests, fields, and farms offer suitable habitat for the virus’s rodent hosts. Areas around the home or work where rodents may live (for example, houses, barns, outbuildings, and sheds) are potential sites where people may be exposed to the virus. In the US and Canada, the Sin Nombre hantavirus is responsible for the majority of cases of hantavirus infection. The host of the Sin Nombre virus is the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), present throughout the western and central US and Canada.

Several other hantaviruses are capable of causing hantavirus infection in the US. The New York hantavirus, carried by the white-footed mouse, is associated with HPS cases in the northeastern US. The Black Creek hantavirus, carried by the cotton rat, is found in the southeastern US. Cases of HPS have been confirmed elsewhere in the Americas, including Canada, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

How People Become Infected with Hantaviruses

In the United States, deer mice (along with cotton rats and rice rats in the southeastern states and the white-footed mouse in the Northeast) are reservoirs of the hantaviruses. The rodents shed the virus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated with the virus.

When fresh rodent urine, droppings, or nesting materials are stirred up, tiny droplets containing the virus get into the air. This process is known as “airborne transmission“.

There are several other ways rodents may spread hantavirus to people:

• If a rodent with the virus bites someone, the virus may be spread to that person, but this type of transmission is rare.
• Scientists believe that people may be able to get the virus if they touch something that has been contaminated with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, and then touch their nose or mouth.
• Scientists also suspect people can become sick if they eat food contaminated by urine, droppings, or saliva from an infected rodent.

The hantaviruses that cause human illness in the United States cannot be transmitted from one person to another. For example, you cannot get these viruses from touching or kissing a person who has HPS or from a health care worker who has treated someone with the disease.

In Chile and Argentina, rare cases of person-to-person transmission have occurred among close contacts of a person who was ill with a type of hantavirus called Andes virus.

Can pets transmit HPS to humans?

The hantaviruses that cause human illness in the United States are not known to be transmitted by any types of animals other than certain species of rodents. Dogs and cats are not known to carry hantavirus; however, they may bring infected rodents into contact with people if they catch such animals and carry them home.

People at Risk for Hantavirus Infection

Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus is at risk of HPS. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure. Even healthy individuals are at risk for HPS infection if exposed to the virus.

Any activity that puts you in contact with rodent droppings, urine, saliva, or nesting materials can place you at risk for infection. Hantavirus is spread when virus-containing particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva are stirred into the air. It is important to avoid actions that raise dust, such as sweeping or vacuuming. Infection occurs when you breathe in virus particles.

Opening and Cleaning Previously Unused Buildings

Opening or cleaning cabins, sheds, and outbuildings, including barns, garages and storage facilities, that have been closed during the winter is a potential risk for hantavirus infections, especially in rural settings.

Housecleaning Activities

Cleaning in and around your own home can put you at risk if rodents have made it their home too. Many homes can expect to shelter rodents, especially as the weather turns cold. Please see our prevention information on how to properly clean rodent-infested areas.

Work-related Exposure

Construction, utility and pest control workers can be exposed when they work in crawl spaces, under houses, or in vacant buildings that may have a rodent population.

Campers and Hikers

Campers and hikers can also be exposed when they use infested trail shelters or camp in other rodent habitats.

The chance of being exposed to hantavirus is greatest when people work, play, or live in closed spaces where rodents are actively living. However, recent research results show that many people who have become ill with HPS were infected with the disease after continued contact with rodents and/or their droppings. In addition, many people who have contracted HPS reported that they had not seen rodents or their droppings before becoming ill. Therefore, if you live in an area where the carrier rodents, such as the deer mouse, are known to live, take sensible precautions-even if you do not see rodents or their droppings.

Due to the small number of HPS cases, the “incubation time” is not positively known. However, on the basis of limited information, it appears that symptoms may develop between 1 and 8 weeks after exposure to fresh urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents.

Early Symptoms

Early symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups—thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. These symptoms are universal.

There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. About half of all HPS patients experience these symptoms.

Late Symptoms

Four to 10 days after the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms of HPS appear. These include coughing and shortness of breath, with the sensation of, as one survivor put it, a “…tight band around my chest and a pillow over my face” as the lungs fill with fluid.

Is the Disease Fatal?

Yes. HPS can be fatal. It has a mortality rate of 38%.

Diagnosing HPS in an individual who has only been infected a few days is difficult, because early symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and fatigue are easily confused with influenza. However, if the individual is experiencing fever and fatigue and has a history of potential rural rodent exposure, together with shortness of breath, would be strongly suggestive of HPS. If the individual is experiencing these symptoms they should see their physician immediately and mention their potential rodent exposure.

Are there any complications?

Previous observations of patients that develop HPS from New World Hantaviruses recover completely. No chronic infection has been detected in humans. Some patients have experienced longer than expected recovery times, but the virus has not been shown to leave lasting effects on the patient.

There is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for hantavirus infection. However, we do know that if infected individuals are recognized early and receive medical care in an intensive care unit, they may do better. In intensive care, patients are intubated and given oxygen therapy to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.

The earlier the patient is brought in to intensive care, the better. If a patient is experiencing full distress, it is less likely the treatment will be effective.

Therefore, if you have been around rodents and have symptoms of fever, deep muscle aches, and severe shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately. Be sure to tell your doctor that you have been around rodents—this will alert your physician to look closely for any rodent-carried disease, such as HPS.

Eliminate or minimize contact with rodents in your home, workplace, or campsite. If rodents don’t find that where you are is a good place for them to be, then you’re less likely to come into contact with them. Seal up holes and gaps in your home or garage. Place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation. Clean up any easy-to-get food.

Recent research results show that many people who became ill with HPS developed the disease after having been in frequent contact with rodents and/or their droppings around a home or a workplace. On the other hand, many people who became ill reported that they had not seen rodents or rodent droppings at all. Therefore, if you live in an area where the carrier rodents are known to live, try to keep your home, vacation place, workplace, or campsite clean.

Got Mice?

What is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (also known as HPS)?

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a serious, often deadly, respiratory disease that has been found mostly in rural areas of the western United States. The disease is caused by a hantavirus that is carried by rodents and passed on to humans through infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. To date, no cases of HPS have been reported in the United States in which the virus was transmitted from one person to another.

The deer mouse is the primary carrier of the virus that causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. This rodent and other related species are found throughout the United States. Since the types of mice that carry hantavirus are difficult to identify, all wild rodents should be considered potentially infectious and should be avoided.

Should tourists, campers, and hikers worry about hantavirus infection?

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare disease, and most tourists are not at increased risk for hantavirus infection. However, visitors to rural areas and nature resorts
— campers, hikers, and others who take part in activities outdoors — can become exposed to rodent urine, saliva, or droppings and become infected with hantavirus. You can also become infected by touching your mouth or nose after handling contaminated materials. A rodent’s bite can also spread the virus.

What are the symptoms of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and how long after infection do they appear?

Symptoms of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome usually appear within 2-4 weeks of infection, but can appear as early as 1 week or as late as 6 weeks after infection.
First symptoms are general and flu-like: fever (101° F and above); headache; abdominal, joint, and lower back pain; sometimes nausea and vomiting. However, the primary
symptom of this disease is difficulty in breathing, which is caused by fluid build-up in the lungs, and which quickly progresses to an inability to breathe.

What should I do if I think I have hantavirus infection?

If any combination of the symptoms described above – especially difficulty in breathing – appear after direct or indirect exposure to rodents, contact your doctor or
public health clinic immediately and be sure to mention your exposure to rodents.

Is there a cure or vaccine against hantavirus infection?

There is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for hantavirus infection. However, if infected individuals are recognized early and receive medical care in an intensive
care unit, they may do better. In intensive care, patients are given oxygen therapy or intubated, to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.

How do I identify rodents, burrows, and droppings?

A mouse nest, or burrow, is usually a pile of material under which the mouse lives. The pile can contain many different materials, such as twigs, insulation, styrofoam, and grass.

How is the virus spread?

Hantavirus is spread from wild rodents to people. The virus, which is found in rodent urine, saliva, and feces, can be easily aerosolized in confined spaces when disturbed by rodents or human activities like sweeping or vacuuming. Breathing in the virus is the most common way of becoming infected; however, you can also become infected by touching the mouth or nose after handling contaminated materials. A rodent’s bite can also spread the virus. Hantavirus is not spread from person to person. You cannot become infected by being near a person who has Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. The virus, which is able to survive in the environment for a few hours or days (for example, in dirt and dust in the shade or in rodent nests), can be killed by most household disinfectants, such as bleach, detergents or alcohol. Exposure to the sun’s UV rays can also kill the virus.

Is it safe to travel where hantavirus infection has been reported?

Yes. Travel to and within all areas where hantavirus infection has been reported is safe. Most activities of hikers are not associated with risks.

To minimize the risk for hantavirus infection, follow these precautions:

• Avoid touching live or dead rodents. Do not disturb rodents, burrows, or nests.
• Before occupying abandoned or unused cabins, open them up to air out. Inspect for rodents and do not use cabins if you find signs of rodent infestation such as droppings or nests.
• If you sleep outdoors, check potential campsites for rodent droppings and burrows.
• Disinfect droppings and nesting materials by spraying with a disinfectant, wearing kitchen gloves. Dispose of sprayed materials in a plastic bag.
• Avoid sleeping near woodpiles or garbage areas that may be frequented by rodents.
• Avoid sleeping on bare ground; use a tent with a floor, mat or elevated cots if they are available.
• Do not leave pet food in feeding dishes.
• Store foods in rodent-proof containers and promptly discard, bury, or burn all garbage in accordance with campsite regulations.

Hantavirus is spread from wild rodents to people. Breathing in the virus is the most common way of becoming infected.

About COVID-19 vs. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

COVID-19

• COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that was first detected in late 2019 and is present worldwide.
• It is caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
• Although most healthy people will develop mild to moderate disease, up to 1 in 5 young adults with COVID-19 may require hospitalization.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

• HPS is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with hantaviruses.
• An average of 20-40 cases are reported in the U.S. each year, primarily in the west.
• Cases are reported year-round with a peak in the spring and summer months.

How Does the Virus Spread?

COVID-19

• COVID-19 is spread between people in close contact (within 6 ft).
• Respiratory droplets, produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, can land in mouths or noses of people nearby.
• Studies suggest COVID-19 may spread by people who are not showing symptoms.

HPS

• Hantavirus is spread by rodents. Infected rodents shed the virus in their saliva, urine, and droppings.
• People can get infected by breathing in air contaminated after fresh rodent waste or nesting materials are stirred up.
• HPS is NOT spread from person-to person.

Who Is at Heightened Risk of Infection or Serious Complications?

COVID-19

• Healthcare providers and family members taking care of patients with COVID-19 are more frequently exposed.
• Residents of skilled nursing facilities and communal living centers who have frequent contact with others.
• Older adults and people with chronic underlying medical conditions—heart or lung disease or diabetes—seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications and dying.

HPS

Anyone who comes into contact with infected rodent droppings, urine, saliva, or nesting materials, this includes:

• Anyone cleaning up after rodent infestations, or opening and cleaning closed-up buildings, without proper protection.
• Campers and hikers near areas infested with deer mice or other infected rodents.
• Construction, utility, and pest control workers in rodent infested spaces.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms?

COVID-19

Incubation period: 2-14 days

Most common

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle pains

Additional symptoms

• Headache
• Sore throat
• Loss off smell
• Runny nose
• Bloody sputum
• Vomiting and diarrhea

HPS

Incubation period: 7-60 days

Most common

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle pains

Additional symptoms

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Abdominal pain

What Should You Do If You Are a Healthcare Provider and Suspect a Case of COVID-19?

• Reinforce PPE and isolate patients.
• Provide supplemental oxygen, as needed.
• Notify public health authorities, immediately.
• Consider early transfer to a facility capable of performing ventilation support and ECMO.
• Send specimens for SARS-CoV-2 testing (PCR).

What Should You Do If You Are a Healthcare Provider and Suspect a Case of HPS?

• Provide supplemental oxygen as needed.
• Administer inotropes early for hypotension.
• Avoid fluid resuscitation.
• Consider performing the 5-point hantavirus screen.
• Notify public health authorities immediately.
• Consider early transfer to a facility capable of performing ventilation support and ECMO.
• Contact your state/local health department for diagnostic testing.

What is Hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are viruses that cause disease in people. You can be infected with a hantavirus if you

• Breathe air or eat food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Are bitten by an infected rodent (typically a mouse or a rat)

Andes virus, found in South America, is the only hantavirus known to spread from person to person.

Hantaviruses in North and South America most commonly cause a serious lung disease known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Hantaviruses in Europe and Asia cause organ damage, especially the kidneys and blood vessels. This is known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Complete recovery from this type of disease can take weeks to months and may sometimes be fatal.

Symptoms of hantavirus disease usually develop 3 to 4 weeks after infection but can occur as early as 1 week and, in rare cases, up to 8 weeks. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches. There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Who is at risk?

Hantaviruses are found throughout the world. Cases of hantavirus disease are rare among travelers, but some activities may make travelers more likely to get infected. Activities that increase a traveler’s chances of being around rodents, rodent nests, rodent urine and droppings include the following:

• Working with animals (veterinarians and wildlife professionals)
• Working on farms
• Camping
• Traveling to rural areas

What can travelers do to prevent hantavirus infection?

There are no vaccines or medicines to prevent hantavirus disease. Travelers can protect themselves from infection by taking the following steps.

Avoid rodents when traveling

• Disinfect droppings and nesting materials by spraying with a disinfectant, wearing kitchen gloves. Dispose of sprayed materials in a plastic bag.
• Avoid touching live or dead rodents. Do not disturb rodents, burrows, or nests.
• Before occupying abandoned or unused cabins, open them up to air out. Inspect for rodents and do not use cabins if you find signs of rodent infestation such as droppings or nests.
• If you sleep outdoors, check potential campsites for rodent droppings and burrows.
• Avoid sleeping near woodpiles or garbage areas. These may be frequented by rodents.
• Avoid sleeping on bare ground; use a tent with a floor, mat or elevated cots if they are available.
• Do not leave pet food in feeding dishes.
• Store foods in rodent-proof containers and promptly discard, bury, or burn all garbage in accordance with campsite regulations.

Wash your hands

• Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick

• Do not kiss, hug, or share eating utensils or cups.
• Do not touch the bedding or clothing of a sick person.

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare provider, and tell them about your travel. Avoid contact with other people while you are sick.