Hantavirus - So Terrified...

[katielovespizza]

Hey everyone,

I haven't been in a spiral like this in a LONG time. Strangely enough (since I am a hypochondriac), I hadn't heard of hantavirus! So when my husband and I discovered a dead mouse in our house, he used several paper towels and a plastic bag to remove it (took it outside to the trash), and I cleaned up the room, just vacuuming (NO mask, NO gloves, NOTHING). I didn't see any mouse droppings; I don't think the little guy was in there long because I have three cats. However, I DID vacuum the room which apparently is like THE thing you DON'T do if there was a dead mouse/mouse droppings, etc. because it brings up the particles into the air and you can breathe them in. So, strike one.

Now, I thought I'd look into it just to alleviate my fears -- it's rare, right? Yeah, it's rare. And it's only found in certain mice! I thought my fears would all disappear when I would find out the mouse we found doesn't carry hantavirus. However, it happened to be a deer mouse which DOES carry hantavirus! Yay. Strike two.

So now, I'm sitting here in sheer panic. I have to teach tomorrow and I can't even bring myself to prepare. I need to be up in less than six hours for work and I can't even bring myself to sleep. Oh, and I'm coughing a bit (dry cough), which happens to be one of the initial signs of the virus. Great. Strike three.

I'm SO scared and miserable. Can anyone talk me down? Has anyone cleaned up mouse droppings and been okay? How stupid am I for not realizing that a mask was needed to clean up because of hantavirus? :doh: I'm terrified... :weep:

---------- Post added at 02:42 ---------- Previous post was at 00:15 ----------

I'm scared that no response from any of you means that you probably think I was stupid and will probably contract hantavirus :weep:

[AntsyVee]

Nope. No responses means your fear is extremely irrational and no one thinks you've got hantavirus.

[axolotl]

Another disease I only know of because of this forum...


I'm scared that no response from any of you means that you probably think I was stupid and will probably contract hantavirus

There's a cognitive distortion known as "mind-reading" where you decide what others are thinking in order to back up your anxious thoughts. This is what you've done here. In fact there's a number of reasons why people many not reply - people may not read your post because the subject line names a rare disease people may not have heard of, you may have been bumped down by other posts, or it may be that this is a UK-based site and many regular posters were in bed when you posted...

Do you not think if people thought you were actually at risk of disease they'd tell you? In fact all you've done is move a dead mouse the cat dragged in, like thousands of people do every day.

[Crouton]

Hi katielovespizza,

Sorry that you're in an anxious state, I hope that you can find solace in the following;

The possibility of you contracting hantavirus is mind-boggingly remote.

As axolotl mentioned, people deal with dead mice on a day to day basis, and yet the incidence of hantavirus remains exceptionally low. Personally I've disposed of at least a dozen dead mice in the last few months, no gloves, no mask, in the middle of a dusky, dusty cellar. Particles everywhere. No virus.

Please try to stay away from google! You will find a disease for anything, anywhere if you look hard enough. All that's good for is fuelling anxiety.

[Eventhesparrows]

Can I ask where you live? In your googling, I'm sure you've also discovered that hantavirus is most prominent in New Mexico....which is where I live. I've dealt with deer mice, urine, droppings, no mask, ect. Did I freak out about hantavirus? Yes. Did I have a little more credibility, given the fact I live in the state where it is most prominent? No, simply because IT. IS. SO. RARE. I freaked out 3 years ago for about 6 weeks....and I'm still here. You'll be fine.

[katielovespizza]

Thank you all so much for responding to me. I read your responses before going to work this morning and it really helped me get through the day. I'm feeling a little sick, though, which is (of course) really got me worried. I have a little bit of a headache and I feel "off" (wondering if that could be from not getting much sleep last night, though...) My calves feel sore, and I read last night that a symptom of hantavirus is sore muscles so of course my mind is going down a dark path on that one.

Eventhesparrows, I live in southern Indiana. There have been 4 total reported cases I believe (don't want to Google again). I know it's rare; I guess I just feel like I didn't take any precautions so there is that possibility there. Plus, these "symptoms" I'm having aren't making things better. My anxiety waxes and wanes and I'm better at dealing with things at different times, but it seems like right now I'm going through a rough spot. :sad:

[ServerError]

I think it's important to acknowledge that you're right - there is that possibility there. Just as there is a possibility there that you'll get hit by car crossing the street, or that a tornado might blow you to smithereens or you might get, I dunno, diabetes.

The possibility of bad things happening to us is something every single person has to live with. But you know what? You cannot go back and have your husband unhandle that mouse. No matter how much you which you could, nothing you can do will change the fact that that mouse came into your home and was removed by hand. All you can change is your reaction to the fact it happened, and to that infinitesmally small risk. Is it worth giving this thing a second thought?

[NervUs]

JUst like you, we've had a recent visit from mice. Only difference is, we found poop and the mice were alive (we've only caught two in snap traps). In your case, is it possible a cat just brought one in after hunting? Anyway, it sounds like you don't have much to worry about since you don't mention poop and your house is probably aired out and cleaned on the regular.

I know how you feel, though. I am keeping a mental tab of our hantavirus incubation period. I have kids so everyday I check them for fever and ask them about 12 times a day if anything hurts, lol. We are at about week 2, and Sept 21 is our safe day, lmao.

I have been to the hantavirus rodeo before (we get mice every so often). I tried to follow CDC guidelines as best I could, but I definitely breached protocol as it is NOT easy to keep your gloves on/mask on/ remove shoes/keep clothes contained throughout the entire cleaning process. I was more freaked out at first, but I have calmed down a lot. I mean, at least I know what to look for and will be first in line at the ER if any of us gets a fever.

I also have a dry cough, my 3 year old does too. That is a late symptom, and my kid had a cold before we saw the mouse. You have to expect that you will get sick during the "incubation" period, quote unquote, it is just the cruelty of the universe that that will happen. It's not fun having HA when you have symptoms of something, but you just have to trust that you would not get a cough this soon AND it starts with bad fever and muscle aches. G/L

[overwhelm]

I just joined NoMorePanic in order to reply to this thread.

I suffered a SEVERE mouse infestation earlier this year, and before I knew about Hantavirus I picked up PILES of mouse dung in the kitchen with nothing but an ungloved hand and a damp paper towel, no bleach or even soap until after I had picked everything up. I was sticking my head in the contaminated cupboards and taking nice, deep breaths. Soon after, I learned that a man had died of Hantavirus 10 miles from my home a few years earlier, after cleaning out his basement. Needless to say, I spent the next sixth months on the precipice of a nervous breakdown, until I had finally eradicated the mouse population with the help of multiple visits from exterminators.

If I didn't get sick, then you certainly won't. You are much more likely to die in a freak accident, even after vacuuming the mouse room. Still, mice are disgusting when they enter your house, so I recommend getting an exterminator. The tones of news articles about this disease tend to be irresponsibly dramatic. It is an EXTREMELY rare disease, even among people who are directly exposed to mouse excrement, such as myself. Even the exterminator was quite casual about it.

DON'T WORRY. Just keep clean and call an exterminator, preferably one who will look for entry points and seal them up.

[ServerError]

This thread is from July last year. I'm sure Katie has moved on from it by now. I'd hope so, anyway!

[pulisa]

I think it's important to acknowledge that you're right - there is that possibility there. Just as there is a possibility there that you'll get hit by car crossing the street, or that a tornado might blow you to smithereens or you might get, I dunno, diabetes.

The possibility of bad things happening to us is something every single person has to live with. But you know what? You cannot go back and have your husband unhandle that mouse. No matter how much you which you could, nothing you can do will change the fact that that mouse came into your home and was removed by hand. All you can change is your reaction to the fact it happened, and to that infinitesmally small risk. Is it worth giving this thing a second thought?

What a great post, Server and what excellent advice! Yes you wrote that 6 months ago but how helpful and insightful such a viewpoint is.