To prevent hantavirus infection, care must be taken to reduce risk factors.
Persons at risk are canal workers, hunters, and forest workers. These are at increased risk for infection because their activities may bring them into contact with rodents and/or their excreta.
Behavioral risk factors
- Inhalation of infected aerosols
- Contact of injured skin with infected material
- Bites of infected animals
Exposure prophylaxis
- Control of rats and mice in/around residential areas.
- Compliance with general hygiene measures
- In case of dust generation when dealing with contaminated areas:
- Wear protective masks and gloves.
- Bind dust before cleaning work by wetting and spray the surfaces with a commercial disinfectant.
- When disposing of dead mice, care should be taken to wear gloves and tight-fitting mouth–nose protection. Furthermore, avoid raising dust by spraying animals and feces with disinfectants.
- Excreta of rodents/dead rodents should also be wetted with disinfectants before disposal.
- Food in the basement should be stored in sealable containers.
- Thorough cleaning of hands with soap followed by disinfection.
- Disinfect potentially contaminated items.
RKI – Information on the prevention of hantavirus infections.
