header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
March 29
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys


Take a Hike | Commentary by Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel
| Sunday, Aug 23, 2015

DianneErskineHellrigelA friend of mine spent years of her life desperately trying to make it in this world.

After her divorce, she was unable to get a job and floated from place to place, living with various friends and relatives. It was a difficult existence at best. As luck would have it, she inherited a lovely cabin in the Eastern Sierras and was delighted to have her own place and settle into what she thought would be a better life. The cabin was perfect for her, and it was in one of her favorite locations with amazing views of the mountains, trees, and a creek where she could fish. We made plans for a visit when she was ready.

The cabin had not been lived in for many years. It had been taken over by rodents and needed a thorough cleaning before she could settle in. So on Day One, she swept the floors of droppings, plugged holes so the mice could no longer get in and dreamed of furnishing the place and decorating it.

Within a week, she began experiencing various symptoms including severe muscle aches, chills, fever, headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and low blood pressure. She thought she had the flu. She thought some of her symptoms might be related to the higher altitude that she was not accustomed to, and then she experienced respiratory failure. My friend died.

20130521123055300_1Hantavirus is a rare but deadly disease that was first recognized in 1993. Humans get it from infected rodents. It is an airborne disease and does not spread from person to person.

The infection occurs when a person comes into contact with airborne virus particles from rodent droppings or scat. The virus particles are inhaled, and the disease symptoms can take from one to six weeks to appear.

The best way to avoid this virus is to avoid exposure. If you are in an area where there are rodent droppings, leave. If you’re in a cabin that has droppings, use a wet method to clean it up so particles do not become airborne. Air it out before you even begin to clean. Wear a medical mask or respiratory mask to prevent inhalation. Wear protective gloves, and throw them away in a plastic bag when you are done. Wash yourself and your clothes when you are finished, as well. If there are dead rodents around, spray them heavily with disinfectant before you remove them. Use a bleach and water mixture to clean.

22-15_Hantavirus_1Not everyone dies from hantavirus. The death rate is around 40 percent. Seeing a doctor early and recognizing the symptoms will increase your rate of survival. Preventing exposure in the first place is the most important thing you can do. There is no vaccine and no treatment for it other than making the patient feel more comfortable and hydrated. Medical care can help reduce the symptoms, and with care, there is a better chance for recovery.

Hantavirus can progress into hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can be fatal. The hantavirus in our country is called “New World hantavirus” or “sin nombre hantavirus.” Old World hantaviruses causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

The activities that can put you at risk in areas that have rodents include sweeping, dusting, using air blowers, working in barns or other out-buildings, being in places that have not been occupied in a while, hiking or camping in rodent-infested areas, and handling grain or other foods that are polluted with rodent droppings.

rodentsIf you live in any western states, you have the chance of being exposed to hantavirus. Keep your home safe by sealing any holes where mice might be able to enter. Do not leave pet food dishes around when the pet is not eating. Store all pet food (including grains) in sealed containers. Use trash cans with rodent-proof lids. Use mouse traps if you see mice or their droppings. Keep your property debris-free. Things like wood piles, old cars and other trash are inviting places for rodents to live. All hay, firewood, and other “stackables” should be stored at least 100 feet from your home.

The states with the highest incidence of hantavirus are Arizona, Colorado, California and New Mexico. The only two states that have not had an incidence of hantavirus are Hawaii and Alaska.

Not all rodents carry hantavirus. In North America, the rodents to be cautious of are deer mice, white footed mice, rice rats and cotton rats. Not all of these rats and mice carry the virus, and the virus does not kill them. If you cannot immediately recognize these species of rodents, it is best to avoid them all and be safe.

 

 

Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel is executive director of the Community Hiking Club and president of the Santa Clara River Watershed Conservancy. Contact Dianne through communityhikingclub.org or at zuliebear@aol.com.

 

state-of-exposure-042114.jpg

 

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

11 Comments

  1. Steven Lee says:

    It is the reason that I bring a tent when I visit my cousin near Yosemite. She has an old cabin on the property. I would rather be cold in a tent than risk staying in that old musky cabin. Thanks for the article.

  2. Thank you… good info. Now I know why there is a rodent in the photo. ?

  3. thank you, very sad!!! good information

  4. Thanks for the info.

  5. jimvs says:

    Sorry to hear about your friend Dianne.

    Some words of caution to the readers:

    I have some experience in doing decon of potentially hantavirus contaminated structures from the original California outbreak referenced. While I haven’t been involved in quite a few years, I do remember the drill.

    Don’t try to clean out an old shed or cabin in the known Hantavirus carrier regions without taking specific precautions.

    1. Hantavirus contaminates both feces and urine of the rodent species it infects. Dried rodent urine is essentially invisible to the naked eye. Assume that rat/mouse pellets present mean there is dried urine as well.

    2. Hantavirus goes dormant when the rodent waste dries and can remain infectious for a long time in dark places.

    3. Sunlight (the UV rays) will kill the hantavirus, but it may take hours of exposure.

    4. Respirators with at least HEPA cartridges must be worn; heavily contaminated areas where the rodent waste cannot be thoroughly soaked with decontaminating fluids may require Powered Air Purifying Respirators or Air Supplied respirators to prevent infection.

    5. Decontaminating fluids using either hospital-strength Lysol or a strong bleach solution (check with the CDC or do a Web search for more recent and specific data) should be used to thoroughly soak the rodent waste and all locations that the rodents have or may have been.

    6. Disposable protective clothing should be worn including head coverings. If the respirators do not provide eye protection, eye protection should be added.

    7. At completion of work, the workers must be decontaminated with at least soap and water before removing their protective clothing.

    8. All removed waste (rodent waste/bodies, cleaning rags, wipes, respirators filters, decon suits were considered Hazardous Materials and required special disposal. Respirators and other equipment not disposed of require thorough decontamination.

    9. A number of companies were providing “trained” crews to do Hantavirus decontamination back in the days after the outbreak. Some of them may well still be around.

    Back then, these processes were only used within or adjacent to the known range of the hantavirus carrying rodents. We were only concerned about the Deer Mouse, a known carrier in California, Arizona and New Mexico. That information may be available at the CDC as well.

    We only occasionally did decon jobs at low elevations or south of the Sierra/Tehachapi/Owens Valley areas. At the time that was considered “an abundance of caution”.

    Procedures may be less stringent these days, but I guarantee you that I would still proceed as noted above.

  6. Wow thanks for sharing!

  7. Thanks for the information. Sorry to hear about your friend.

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024
Springtime in Santa Clarita brings not only vibrant blooms and opportunities to embrace the outdoors with warmer weather, but also an array of free, family-friendly events and this Saturday is no exception.
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Did you know that each year, Main Street in Old Town Newhall undergoes countless makeovers for different events, such as Light Up Main Street and the Fourth of July Parade?
Thursday, Mar 21, 2024
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, issued the following statement Thursday in response to an announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel of a proposal to change how calls to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline are routed.
Monday, Mar 18, 2024
Unlike our children who enjoy a week-long spring break, we adults no longer have that luxury.
Friday, Mar 15, 2024

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1928 - Little dam victim, thought unidentified & buried in SCV, actually ID'd & buried in Chatsworth [story]
Newhall Cowboys
Los Angeles County Public Works is updating the Los Angeles County Bicycle Master Plan.
April 16:  County Bicycle Master Plan Virtual Community Meeting
College of the Canyons mens golf got back on track during its return to conference play on Monday, carding a five-man score of 370 to top the eight-team field at Brookside Golf Course and maintain its unblemished conference mark.
Cougars Win Again, Keep Conference Streak
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, reminds property owners that the second installment of the 2023-24 Annual Secured Property Taxes becomes  delinquent if not received by 5 p.m. Pacific Time or United States Postal Service postmarked on or before Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
County Treasurer Reminds Property Owners of April 10 Due Date
Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence is seeking “Allies” to support Santa Clarita youth who are aging out of the L.A. County foster care system.
April 16: FYI Seeks Volunteers To Pair With Local Foster Youth
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health today unveiled the latest L.A. County Health Survey, which gathers vital data on health behaviors, conditions, neighborhood settings, and the needs of L.A .County residents, informing future public health policies and programs.
Public Health Unveils the 2023 L.A. County Health Survey Findings
Due to the projected rain forecast, Eggstravaganza will now be held indoors at the Canyon Country Community Center beginning promptly at 10 a.m. on March 30.
March 30: Eggstravaganza Now Being Held Indoors at Canyon Country Community Center
To support the mental health of California's young people, the California Department of Public Health awarded $25 million to 28 tribal and community-based organizations across the state.
California Announces $25 Million in Awards for Youth Mental Health
The College of the Canyons Athletic Department will host a dedication ceremony to unveil the Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room in honor of the longtime board member and ardent softball program supporter’s nearly 40 years of service to the district.
April 16: COC to Host Michele Jenkins Team Room Dedication Ceremony
PFLAG Santa Clarita has announced the establishment of the Peggy and Jeff Stabile PFLAG SCV Scholarship. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to LGBTQIA+ students pursuing higher education and committed to advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights and promoting diversity and inclusion.
PFLAG SCV Announces Stabile PFLAG Scholarship
1934 - Bouquet Canyon Reservoir, replacement for ill-fated St. Francis Dam & reservoir, begins to fill with water [story]
Bouquet Reservoir
The California Department of Public Health launched the “Never a Bother” campaign, a youth suicide prevention public awareness and outreach campaign for youth, young adults, and their parents, caregivers, and allies.
California Launches New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign
The Santa Clarita Master Chorale invites the community to "Let the Sunshine In," a delightful evening of food, wine and song at the annual Cabaret & Cabernet fundraising benefit.
April 20: Santa Clarita Master Chorale’s Cabaret, Cabernet Fundraiser
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions residents who are planning to visit the below Los Angeles County beaches to avoid swimming, surfing, and playing in ocean waters:
March 27 Ocean Water Warning
As an integral ingredient necessary to help the Santa Clarita Valley to flourish, feedback from the business community is the secret sauce for achieving great things.
SCVEDC Asks For the Business Community’s Opinion on Santa Clarita
Raise your heart rate while raising funds for the Santa Clarita Sister Cities Dollars-for-Desks campaign to provide school desks for students in Sariaya, Santa Clarita's Sister City in the Philippines.
April 13: Sister Cities Zumba-thon Fundraiser
Remo, Inc. is is the world's leading manufacturer and developer of synthetic drumheads and shells. They’ve been in business for 60 years
SCVEDC Company Spotlight: Drumming Up Big Business with Remo, Inc.
California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) and Assemblyman James Ramos (D-Highland) have introduced AB 3074 the "School or athletic team names: California Racial Mascots Act."
Schiavo Introduces Bill to Prohibit ‘Derogatory’ School Mascot Names
Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care and Opportunities Department  in collaboration with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Pitch Competition for the cohorts of JCOD's Incubation Academy.
March 28: JCOD Incubation Academy Helps Grassroots Non-Profits For the Second Year
Children’s Bureau is seeking foster families and now offers two virtual ways for individuals and/or couples to learn how to help children in foster care while reunifying with birth families or how to provide legal permanency by adoption.
April 18: Children’s Bureau Hosts Virtual Orientation
The Sunburst track was constructed in 1887 by the Southern Pacific Railroad and was a part of the main line running between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Enjoy Spring With a Ride On The Sunburst Track
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a Personal Finance Summit today where he announced his support for Assembly Bill 2927 (McCarty), legislation that would require a personal finance education course for California high school graduation.
State Superintendent Announces Support for Personal Finance Graduation Requirement
1847 - Probable birth date of Pico Canyon oil driller Charles Alexander Mentry [story]
C.A. Mentry
SCVNews.com