This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Utah County woman has died from hantavirus, prompting health officials to warn Utah residents to take precautions with potential rodent infestations.
The Utah County Health Department described the woman as between the ages of 18 44 years old who had no other apparent health issues. She was The second person to die from hantavirus pulmonary syndrom (HPS) this year in Utah.
Hantavirus is spread through the urine, droppings and saliva of infected rodents. People typically contract the virus by inhaling air that is contaminated; it also can be transmitted when people are bit by infected rodents or touch objects or eat food that has been contaminated.
"Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry the virus is at risk," said Ralph Clegg, executive director of the Utah County Health Department.
People may be at particular risk in previously-vacant buildings, while housekeeping, or while camping and hiking, the department warned. Anyone working in areas with signs of rodent droppings or nests should spray the area with disinfectant and wait 15 to 20 minutes before cleaning, Clegg said.
Early symptoms of hantavirus infection include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, as well as headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal pain. An infected person may experience coughing and shortness of breath four to ten days after the first signs of illness, as the lungs fill with fluid, the department wrote in a press statement.
HPS is fatal in more than one third of all reported cases; surviving patients likely will make a full recovery.
Anyone with symptoms and who has been exposed to rodents should seek medical help immediately.
Health officials are urging the public to reduce risk of HPS by following protocols dubbed "Seal Up, Trap Up and Clean Up":
• Air out closed-up buildings before entering.
• Trap mice until they are gone.
• Do not sweep rodent droppings into the air, where they can be inhaled. Instead, wear gloves and soak the droppings with bleach before picking them up with paper towel. Then clean and disinfect the whole area. For heavy infestations, use gloves, goggles, protective clothing an a respirator.
• Do not store hay, wood or compost piles near homes.
• Remove junk piles.
• Tightly store all food, pet food, trash and animal feed to prevent rodents from accessing it, and do not leave pets' food and water where mice can reach it.
• Seal holes inside and outside of homes.
• Keep grass and shrubbery well-trimmed.
• Elevate hay and trash at least 1 foot off the ground.
For more information, visit http://health.utah.gov/epi/diseases/hantavirus/.
This week's death is the 10th case of hantavirus identified by health officials in Utah since 2006.
@erinalberty