PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
6.33
Revised 1-08
Environmental Health and Safety
335-3041
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OVERVIEW
Hantavirus causes a serious, respiratory illness called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The symptoms of hantavirus infection are similar to influenza, i.e., fever, body aches, chills, and trouble breathing.
Exposure
Hantavirus is spread primarily by deer mice in the Northwest. Hantavirus is spread through their droppings, urine, saliva, and nesting material. The virus attaches to dust particles, which can become airborne if disturbed.
Humans may be infected by:
- Inhalation of virus-contaminated dust,
- Close contact with contaminated material, or
- Deer mice bites.
Risk of Infection
Hantavirus infection is extremely rare, even among people who are consistently exposed to mice and other rodents. Hantavirus poses no significant health risk to WSU employees provided simple precautions are followed.
Employees with the following duties have the greatest potential for exposure to hantavirus:
- Employees who clean out storage areas, barns, and outbuildings which rodents are likely to infest, and
- Employees who trap or work with wild rodents.
Responsibility
The department utilizing and controlling a space is ultimately responsible for all required cleanup and rodent control measures.
- The department assigned the space is responsible for cleanup and control measures prior to maintenance personnel entering the area.
- Maintenance personnel entering a severe infestation area are not required to perform cleanup or virus control unless they utilize the area.
- Pullman campus departments may use the blanket contract with the University's rodent, bird, and bat infestation cleanup contractor. Refer to "Whitman County Contracts" below for more information.
- Non-Pullman campus departments have the option of hiring a local area rodent infestation cleanup contractor in conformance with University purchased services contracting procedures. See BPPM 70.50 and contact EH&S for more information.
Trapping and Handling Live Rodents
To obtain specific information about the safety measures for field trapping, research, and handling of wild rodents:
- Refer to the OGRD (Office of Grant and Research Development) Guidelines for Handling Animal Reservoirs of Hantavirus. To view the guidelines, go to the OGRD website at:
Select Forms; then
Select IACUC and Animal Forms Page; then
Select Guidelines for Handling Animal Reservoirs of Hantavirus; and
- Contact the Office of Campus Veterinarian, telephone 335-6246, or
- Contact Institutional Biosafety Committee, through the Office of Grant and Research Development, telephone 335-9661.
PRECAUTIONS
Take precautions when rodent droppings, nesting material, evidence of feeding, or dead rodents are present.
Do not sweep, vacuum, or generate airborne dust when rodent droppings and nesting materials are present.
RODENT CONTROL MEASURES
Follow the rodent control measures listed below if rodent droppings or nesting material are found.
Openings
Plug, screen, or cover all openings bigger than 1/4 inch wide.
Traps or Poison
A department may directly treat a rodent problem if the following requirements are observed. The department is to:
- Contact EH&S prior to application of control measures (traps or poison baits),
- Use appropriate control measures,
- Ensure that individuals applying rodent baits hold applicable licenses and follow label directions, and
- Meet all other applicable state and federal regulations.
NOTE: WSU has a blanket contract with a pest control contractor. See 6.30 for more information or contact EH&S, telephone 335-3041; or Purchasing Services; telephone 335-3541.
Food and Water Sources
Eliminate food and water sources for mice.
- Store human and animal food in containers with tight-fitting covers or closed feeding dishes,
- Fix leaky pipes, and
- Store garbage in tight containers and dispose promptly.
CLEANING
Use wet cleaning methods only.
Follow the steps below to clean areas where deer mice and other rodents have left droppings, nesting material, or evidence of feeding.
Infestation Not Severe
Infestation is not severe if only a few droppings are found in a localized area.
Use Protective Gloves
Wear latex or nonlatex rubber gloves. Latex-sensitive individuals are to use nonlatex rubber gloves.
Disinfect Before Disposal
Mix a disinfectant solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Other disinfectants and household detergents are also acceptable for deactivating the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Use a rag, sponge, or mop that has been soaked in disinfectant for wiping up rodent droppings and urine.
Thoroughly soak or spray droppings, nesting material and dead rodents with the disinfectant.
Disposal
Rodents
Place dead rodents in a plastic bag and seal.
Put the sealed bag into another plastic bag and seal.
Put the bagged dead rodents into a biohazard box. Boxes can be purchased at WSU Central Stores, telephone 335-4592.
Contact Facilities Operations Waste Management, telephone 335-4530, for pickup and incineration. See 4.24 for more information on biohazard waste disposal.
Contaminated Material
Place contaminated material (excluding dead rodents), including the gloves that were worn, in a plastic bag and seal.
Dispose of the bag in the regular trash.
After Cleaning
Wash hands with soap and hot water.
Severe Infestation
Infestation is severe if large numbers of rodent droppings are found and the risk of infection is increased in closed, unoccupied storage areas, such as barns.
NOTE: Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator with HEPA filter cartridges prior to entering an area which is or may be severely infested.
Air Out Area
Air out the area for at least 30 minutes by opening windows and doors.
Close adjacent uncontaminated areas when airing out the contaminated area.
Leave the area while it is airing out.
Use Respirator and Protective Clothing
Wear the following while cleaning:
- NIOSH-approved respirator with HEPA filter cartridges,
- Latex or nonlatex rubber gloves (latex-sensitive individuals are to use nonlatex rubber gloves),
- Eye protection,
- Disposable coveralls, and
- Shoe coverings or launderable clothing with rubber boots.
Fit-testing and training is required before using respirator. Contact EH&S, telephone 335-3041, to schedule fit-testing and training.
Disinfect Before Disposal
Mix a disinfectant solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Other disinfectants may be acceptable. Other disinfectants and household detergents are also acceptable for deactivating the virus, according to the CDC.
Use a rag, sponge, or mop that has been soaked in disinfectant for wiping up rodent droppings and urine.
Thoroughly soak or spray droppings, nesting material and dead rodents with the disinfectant.
Spray dirt floors with the disinfectant.
Disposal
Rodents
Place dead rodents in a plastic bag and seal.
Put the sealed bag into another plastic bag and seal.
Put the bagged dead rodents into a biohazard box.
Contact Facilities Operations Waste Management, telephone 335-4530, for pickup and incineration. See 4.24 for more information on biohazard waste disposal.
Contaminated Material
Place contaminated material (excluding dead rodents), including the gloves that were worn, in a plastic bag and seal.
Dispose of the bag in the regular trash.
After Cleaning
Disinfect rubber boots and shoe coverings.
Wash hands and/or shower with soap and hot water.
Launder clothes worn while cleaning in a separate load.
A WSU Pullman department experiencing a rodent infestation problem may purchase services from the University's pest control and/or cleanup contractor. Contact EH&S or Purchasing Services for the names and telephone numbers of the contractors.
Paying for Services
The department is responsible for paying for all pest control contractor inspection and cleanup charges related to work conducted in the departmental space.
A departmental official with expenditure authority (see BPPM 70.02) signs the vendor's invoice and enters the account code of the supporting WSU budget/project.
The department routes the invoice to Accounts Payable for payment.
MONITORING
Regularly monitor to determine if rodents are infesting the area.
EH&S
Contact Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) to request:
- Area inspections in case of severe rodent infestation, and
- Further information.
Training
EH&S provides hantavirus exposure prevention training for WSU employees.