Thanks for stopping by my website. My name is Annabelle Collins. My husband and I live in a large house with our two teenage children. We’re fortunate in that we’re able to have a cleaning service come and clean on a weekly basis. In the past, I found that it was difficult for me to exert myself when it came to hiring and communicating with our cleaning service. I’ve never been very authoritative, and that shone through in a not good way. I wanted things to be done in a certain way, but found it difficult to ask for what I wanted. I have come to realize that in order for the service to do the job I want to be done, I have to ask for it to happen. I doubt that I’m alone in the fact that this is difficult, and want to share my experience and growth.
Many people are squeamish about rodent infestations. Not only will mice destroy any paper or plastic products they can find by chewing on them, but they will search endlessly for food in the home. Mice will leave behind urine and fecal matter as well. In fact, you are likely to find hundreds of mouse droppings each and every day, since every mouse in your home will release between 50 and 75 quarter inch droppings each day. While the thought of piles of fecal matter likely grosses you out, you should know that the feces can actually make you quite ill. To better understand this and why timely extermination is necessary, keep reading to learn about hantavirus and how you need to clean to avoid the disease.
What Is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a serious illness that can be transferred from mice to humans through direct contact or through contact with feces and urine. You may also contract the virus by disturbing a nest or droppings that contain the virus. The virus can then become airborne and you will breathe it in. Deer mice are usually responsible for transmitting the disease, and so are rats that live in the southern part of the United States. Once you are exposed to the virus, you will start to feel symptoms within one and five weeks. You might feel tired at first and experience some muscle pain and weakness. Flu-like symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, and shortness of breath will soon follow. Late symptoms will usually show up around 10 days after initial symptoms appear, and you will probably start to feel better around four or five days after this.
Are There Complications?
Unfortunately, many people do not simply feel better a few weeks after contracting hantavirus. In fact, about 38 percent of the population will die from the disease or from disease complications. Generally, older individuals and people with compromised immune systems will pass away from the initial infection. Also, people with severe diarrhea may become dehydrated and succumb to the disease. Since symptoms will be similar to ones that occur with a case of influenza, it makes sense that some people will not seek professional help when they need it.
Also, the hantavirus infection can lead to a serious lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This infection can be fatal due to the formation of fluid in the lungs and the decrease in the amount of oxygen the infected individual is able to bring into the body. Thankfully, hantavirus cannot be transmitted from person to person. However, there are no real treatments for the disease besides treating the various symptoms.
How Can You Avoid the Disease?
The best way to avoid hantavirus is to stay away from mice and their feces. This means contacting an exterminator as soon as possible if you see mice or their feces in your house. If you do see feces and need to clean it up, then you need to protect yourself thoroughly. Make sure to wear rubber gloves, a dust mask, and goggles that fully cover the eyes. Use a water bottle to spray the fecal matter and any nest materials when you see them. This way, infected dust particles will not fly into the air. Use paper towels or disposable rags to clean up the mess and place the towels and the debris in a garbage bag that is sealed when you are done cleaning.
After you have cleaned the fecal matter, make sure to disinfect the area too. Add about one-quarter cup of bleach to a water bottle and fill the rest of it with water. Spray the mixture on the soiled area and allow it to sit for five minutes. Use a paper towel to clear away the bleach solution and throw away the towel when you are done. Throw away your gloves, dust mask, and goggles, or disinfect these materials in a bleach solution.
Go to sites for exterminators in your area to learn about other ways you can identify if you have a mouse infestation.
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