Mice can carry bacteria, viruses and other diseases. Therefore, cleaning or decontamination efforts following an infestation should be carried out with caution.
Decontaminate after the passage of the exterminator
It is important not to disturb dust particles or rodent feces in affected areas. Nest materials should also be left untouched during this period. Sweeping or vacuuming these materials can result in the release of harmful airborne particles.
Deer mice are the main vectors of hantavirus, although other rodents such as white-footed mice, cotton rats and rice rats can also be carriers.
This virus can be deadly and is found in the feces, urine and saliva of deer mice. Hantavirus is transmitted to humans by airborne particles, and the symptoms are similar to those of the common flu. However, people with this virus should seek medical attention immediately after they are identified.
Appeler René Gélinas Votre exterminateur local, Expérience et intégrité dans la gestion parasitaire
Tel 514 830 2819
Hantavirus, definition and mode of transmission
Hantavirus is a severe lung syndrome caused by a virus. It is secreted in the urine, feces and saliva of infected animals. Most often these are rodents. When humans come into direct or indirect contact with these secretions, the virus is transmitted to them. Ditto when they are bitten by infected rodents.
However, the virus is not transmitted from human to human, only from animal to human. This type of disease is called zoonoses because they can only be transmitted to humans through an animal. It has been found that domestic animals (apart from the domestic rat) and livestock cannot contract hantavirus so there is every reason to believe that only rodents can carry it.
Symptoms of hantavirus
Being a lung disease, one of the characteristic symptoms of hantavirus is difficulty breathing. At the beginning of the disease, the infected person begins to feel fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.
It is about two weeks after the appearance of the first symptoms that they are usually accompanied by a feeling of shortness of breath. Nevertheless, this last manifestation of the disease can be observed after two days as after six weeks; it depends on the organism of the individual.
Hantavirus can also lead to kidney disease or infection. And although they are rare and very few people are prone to them, there is currently no treatment to combat these ailments. It is therefore better to be careful not to contract them.
Cleaning mouse droppings
Mouse droppings are pin-shaped and approximately the size of a grain of rice. Some mouse species transmit diseases and viruses through their feces, urine and saliva.
All surfaces that have come into contact with mice or feces must be completely disinfected. Mouse feces and debris should be carefully collected and discarded with sturdy non-absorbent gloves.
Wear an OSHA approved respirator with functional cartridges. It is also advisable to discard the clothes worn during cleaning immediately after cleaning.
It is important not to sweep or suck up mouse feces, as these cleaning methods cause a greater number of airborne viral particles to be released. Discard towels or cloths that come into contact with feces or surfaces of an infested room. Gloves should be discarded, and it is recommended to wash your hands several times after cleaning.
Place all contaminated materials and cleaners in plastic garbage bags that close tightly. Each plastic garbage bag must be hermetically sealed inside another plastic garbage bag. Dispose of waste in landfills or outdoor garbage cans. Hands should be washed thoroughly, and the newly cleaned area should be exposed to fresh air and sun for a number of hours.
An Animal Alert article: Greater Montreal Exterminator
Read on to complete this information
