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
September 18
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital


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
Friday, Sep 13, 2024
As a father of three, I understand firsthand the importance of guiding our children through open communication and keeping them engaged in extracurricular activities and sports to foster their growth.
Thursday, Sep 12, 2024
You may have noticed that things look a little different around our city. Maybe you noticed the motion sensor lights at our parks, or the solar panels being installed in city parking lots.
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024
California State  Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) is urging residents to prepare an emergency evacuation plan as the Line Fire, Bridge Fire and several other wildfires continue to pose a serious threat to High Desert and foothill communities.
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024
As we approach the November 2024 elections, the importance of informed voting cannot be overstated. The choices we make at the ballot box will shape the future of our city, state and nation. Yet, in an era where soundbites often substitute for substantive discussion, how can voters truly grasp the complexities of the issues at hand?
Friday, Sep 6, 2024
As scorching triple-digit temperatures engulf Los Angeles County throughout the weekend and excessive heat warnings have been issued for many communities in Los Angeles County’s Fifth District, I urge residents to do their part to lessen the threat of wildfires.
Thursday, Sep 5, 2024
After being part of the Parks and Recreation Commission in the early 90s and spending nearly 30 years on the City Council, my life has been dedicated to creating a community where residents and businesses feel welcomed and safe here in Santa Clarita.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Take a Virtual Tour of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Oct. 26: Volunteers Needed for Make a Difference Day
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and PathPoint announced the graduation of Aiden Land and Andrew Mendence from the Project SEARCH internship program.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, PathPoint Celebrate Grad Interns
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced upcoming community information meetings about Learning Post Academy Independent Study School, Thursday, Sept. 18 and Friday, Sept. 19.
Sept. 18-19: Learning Post Academy Online Information Meetings
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5 p.m. in open session to interview and appoint a new trustee for Area 5.
Sept. 18: COC Board to Interview, Appoint Area 5 Trustee
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Sept. 20: Last Chance to Register for the River Rally
The California Highway Patrol is dedicating Sept. 15-21 to promoting child passenger safety across California, focusing on the protection of the state’s youngest road users.
CHP Emphasizes Child Safety for National Child Passenger Safety Week
The regular meeting of the Saugus Union School District Governing Board will take place Tuesday, Sept. 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 17: SUSD Regular Board Meeting
West Ranch High School’s Studio A Jazz Band will be the opening act for the Huntertones, a Brooklyn-based sextet, who are coming to the Santa Clarita Valley for a one-night performance.
Sept 30: West Ranch Jazz Band to Open for Huntertones
An exclusive Ransomeware webinar "Ransomeware, Don't Be the Next Victim!" will be hosted Wednesday, Sept. 25, 11 a.m.- noon by Shield IT Networks, in partnership with Lucas Insurance Services. It will be free for VIA members.
Sept. 25: Free Ransomeware Webinar for VIA Members
As part of the Third Annual Business for Artists Conference on Saturday, Oct. 19, Judith Modrak will lead the Imaginary Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop.
Oct.19: Business for Artists Fossils Sculpture Making Workshop
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Sept. 16 to Friday, Sept. 20.
Six Productions Filming in Santa Clarita
1872 - Mitchell adobe home in Soledad Canyon area first used as schoolhouse; genesis of 1879 Sulphur Springs School District [story]
Mitchell adobe
SCVNews.com