HANTAVIRUSES

Through rodents

The viruses are excreted by infected rodents in their saliva, feces or urine. Even when dried, the pathogens are still infectious for several days to several weeks. Direct contact with the affected rodents is not necessary for infection. Infection can occur if swirled up dust containing excretions from animals is inhaled. Hantaviruses can also enter the body through small skin injuries, for example to the hands, if they come into contact with contaminated soil. Transmission through food contaminated with excretions from infected rodents is also possible. An infection can also be caused by an animal bite.

Important: The pathogens occurring in our area are not passed on from person to person.

Hantavirus diseases do not occur at the same rate in all areas of Germany. Infections transmitted by the bank vole are concentrated in north-western, western and southern Germany, in particular the Swabian Alb, the Münster region, the Teutoburger Forest, Lower Franconia, the Odenwald, Upper Swabia, the Franconian Alb, the Bavarian Forest, East Hesse and West Thuringia. In addition to these predominantly rural regions, there are also individual urban areas in which infections in humans occur more frequently. Infections transmitted by the striped field mouse occur in northern, north-eastern and eastern Germany.

People in the risk areas are particularly at risk of becoming infected with hantaviruses during the following activities:

• Forestry or construction work,
• Staying in or cleaning sheds, stables or houses where there are or were rodents, particularly when dust is swirled up,
• Outdoor activities that can lead to contact with rodents or their excretions, such as gardening, hunting, jogging or camping.

• If you suspect that you many have a hantavirus, see your doctor. All the necessary steps will be taken there.
• Only the symptoms (for example, pain and fever) are usually treated. However, severe cases of the disease, such as kidney function disorders, may require hospital treatment.
• Sufferers do not need to be isolated because they are not contagious.

If you need to remove mouse corpses or feces:

• Wear disposable gloves and suitable nose and mouth protection indoors (FFP2 or FFP3 fine dust mask).
• Ventilate the area thoroughly beforehand for at least 30 minutes.
• Avoid stirring up dust. Do not use a vacuum cleaner as viruses may be released through the exhaust air.
• Thoroughly spray droppings or corpses with water to reduce the amount of dust produced.
• Put the animal corpse into a plastic bag. Seal the bag carefully and dispose of it in the household waste.
• Afterwards, clean contaminated areas thoroughly with a household cleaner and dispose of the rags or sponges used. Have a shower immediately after the work and wash your hair. Work clothes should also be washed.

There is no vaccine to protect against hantaviruses.

Your local health authority can provide you with further advice and information. Since hantaviruses must be reported, it also has information on the latest situation and a wealth of experience in dealing with the disease.

More (specialist) information is also available online from the Robert Koch Institute (www.rki.de/hantaviren) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (www.fli.bund.de).