Hantavirus Fears

[babq42]

Right now I'm in New Mexico for a school trip, serving on a Native American reservation for a school trip. We're staying in a trailer home and immediately I noticed mouse poop near the walls, under the sink, in cabinets. I myself haven't disturbed them, although I have pulled things out from under the sink, but my peers have, and I'm worried that we may have been exposed to hantavirus. From what I know, this usually occurs during the spring/summer in confined places with large infestations. Still, I know New Mexico (thanks to Google) has had the highest number of hantavirus cases in the States, and this concerns me. I know it's incredibly rare, but hypochondria says otherwise, you know? Also, there's been no evidence of current mice activity, at least not since we've arrived.

Plus, today, cleaning and pulling weeds in a cemetery in town, I'm afraid I may have disturbed dust full of mice feces and urine while moving sticks. Of course hantavirus is almost always caught in confined spaces, and outside, in the elements, it can only survive for a short time.

Basically I just want some input here. I want to enjoy the rest of this trip without worrying, and given that I can't really do anything about right now, it seems I have no other choice. This isn't my first health scare and probably won't be my last, but when I return home, I'll definitely be seeking treatment. If anyone can enlighten me on some facts on hantavirus that may allay my fears, or simply tell me that I'm nuts and hantavirus is rare, that would be greatly appreciated.

[ScaredLizard]

Oh I feel for you! Hantavirus is one of my greatest fears. First off who is in charge of your school trip? You should make them aware of the rodent feces in your current living conditions. This is something they should get professionally cleaned up and not be exposing others to.

Since you haven't disturbed anything you are likely fine. *big hugs*

[lumish]

I did some heavy mathematics for you because I know it helps me with rare diseases. 0.0000040436 is the percent of people that die from this virus in thr USA each year.

[babq42]

Oh I feel for you! Hantavirus is one of my greatest fears. First off who is in charge of your school trip? You should make them aware of the rodent feces in your current living conditions. This is something they should get professionally cleaned up and not be exposing others to.

Since you haven't disturbed anything you are likely fine. *big hugs*

The leaders of our trip are well aware of the mouse droppings. Since we're only here for a week, and it's at a church on the reservation, we can't really do a professional clean-up or anything.

Thanks for the stat, lumish. Of course you're probably well aware that hypochondriacs don't care about stats. I'm still afraid because my trip mates have disturbed it with sweeping, cleaning, etc. Still, though, I've seen no new droppings, no signs of an active infestation, and who knows how long those droppings had been there? From what I understand, hantavirus is only active for 48 hours at room temperature, so by the time I encountered the poop, it was probably too late to be infected. But still?

[Dave1]

Of course you're probably well aware that hypochondriacs don't care about stats.
haha so true!:)