Prevention
Hantaviruses spread mainly through aerosolized rodent urine, droppings and saliva. Prevention is rodent control plus careful cleanup.
Seal your home
- Plug holes ≥6 mm with steel wool, hardware cloth, cement or metal sheeting.
- Store food (including pet food) in rodent-proof containers; clean dishes promptly.
- Keep grass short and remove brush, woodpiles and trash near building walls.
- Use snap traps with peanut butter; wear gloves to handle traps.
Clean contaminated areas safely
- Do not sweep or vacuum droppings — that aerosolizes the virus.
- Ventilate the room for 30 minutes before entering.
- Wear N95 (or better) respirator, rubber/nitrile gloves and eye protection.
- Spray droppings, nests and surfaces with a 1:10 bleach solution (or commercial disinfectant). Let sit 5 minutes.
- Wipe up with paper towels, double-bag and discard. Disinfect gloves before removal; wash hands thoroughly.
Cabins, barns, sheds
- Open doors/windows to ventilate ≥30 min before cleaning.
- Wet down dust and droppings with disinfectant before any handling.
- Avoid stirring up dust; never use compressed air or leaf blowers.
Occupational exposure
- Pest-control workers, farmers, foresters, military: full PPE including respirators when in heavily infested areas.
- Lab workers handling rodents or hantavirus: BSL-3 containment per CDC/WHO guidance.
Travel precautions
- Avoid sleeping on bare ground in rodent-prone rural areas of South America, parts of Asia and the Balkans.
- Inspect rental cabins for droppings; ventilate and clean before staying.
- Hikers/campers: store food in sealed containers and away from sleeping areas.
Guidance synthesized from CDC, ECDC and PAHO hantavirus prevention pages.