Mouse Tests Positive for Hantavirus Not Far From Ramona

A harvest mouse trapped recently tested positive for hantavirus, prompting San Diego County officials Wednesday to remind people to be careful around rodents and protect their homes from infestations.

The mouse was caught in the southern part of Escondido, but Chris Conlan of the county Department of Environmental Health said the threat is regional in nature.

"We need people to take heed," Conlan told City News Service. "It's not just that specific area."

According to the DEH, common house mice don't carry hantavirus. Mice in the wild can carry the disease, which could result in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans, a rare disease that can be fatal.

Residents in a so-called "wildland interface" area, such as the backcountry or the rim of an urban canyon, should take steps to prevent infestation, Conlan said.

DEH Director Jack Miller said rodents rarely pose a threat as long as they remain in the wild but that people should be very careful if they find them in their homes or on their properties.

"Keeping rodents out of your home is the best way to protect yourself from being exposed," Miller said. "If a rodent carrying hantavirus nests in your house or in a shed, you can be exposed by coming into contact with their droppings or urine."

Homeowners who spot rodent nests should get rid of them immediately by using a wet cleaning method that doesn't stir up dust, according to the DEH. Information on cleaning procedures is available on the DEH website at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/deh/pests/hantavirus.html.

The agency says people infected with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome will notice flu-like symptoms about one to five weeks after exposure, followed by more serious problems like breathing difficulties. The disease is fatal in about 35 percent of cases.

-City News Service