How to Protect Yourself From Hantavirus: An Expert Guide

But the threat of hantavirus doesn’t typically involve faraway travel. Instead, it may exist a lot closer to home.

The best way to avoid hantavirus is to know how most infections typically begin and take the right precautions to avoid exposure.

Your chances of getting hantavirus largely depends on where you live.

“In the U.S, the deer mouse is the primary carrier of the hantavirus most associated with human illness, although they carry the virus without becoming sick themselves,” says Kelly Cawcutt, MD, an associate professor in the division of infectious diseases and pulmonary and critical care medicine at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. “The more common house mice and urban rats are not known to carry the strains typically linked to severe hantavirus disease.”

• Farm buildings (such as barns, grain silos, and stables)
• Infrequently used buildings, such as storage sheds
• Campers and seasonal cabins
• Campsites or hiking shelters
• Attics or basements (and little-used garages or workshops)
• Construction sites

Sealing

• Completely block any holes or gaps in a building — mice can fit through a space the diameter of a pencil.
• Store food in thick plastic, glass, or metal containers with tight lids.
• Keep garbage in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids.

Trapping

• Use rodent snap traps. Place them in areas near evidence of rodent activity but where humans or pets won’t trigger them, such as behind the oven or refrigerator.
• Use poison baits. Place trays or bait stations near rodent activity but out of reach of children or pets.

Cleaning

• Clear any food and dirty dishes right away.
• Eliminate any trace of rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials.

“There is currently no strong evidence that dogs or cats commonly transmit hantavirus directly to humans, but they can potentially carry contaminated rodent material on their fur, paws, or in their mouths after contact with rodents or rodent nesting areas, so indirect exposure is theoretically possible,” says Gary Richter, DVM, the medical director of Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, California, and the founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition.

If you suspect your dog or cat has been near an area known for rodents, Dr. Richter suggests washing your hands thoroughly after touching the pet, wiping or bathing the pet if you suspect contamination, and avoiding close face-to-face contact with your pet until after a good cleaning.

Spring cleaning can be an especially high-risk time for hantavirus infection.

“Cleaning enclosed spaces where rodents may be present can increase the likelihood of encountering these contaminated materials,” says Mara Jana Broadhurst, MD, PhD, the director of the Infectious Diseases Diagnostics & Biopreparedness Council at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and a member of the College of American Pathologists’ microbiology committee

“When these environments are disturbed, particles from droppings or nesting materials can become airborne, which increases the risk of exposure,” she notes.

• Air out enclosed spaces. Open doors and windows and make sure the space is well ventilated for at least 30 minutes before starting to clean.
• Don’t stir up dust in contaminated areas. Vacuuming and sweeping can cause dry infected particles to fill the air and become easily inhaled.
• Wear protection. Put on rubber gloves and wear an N95 mask.
• Use a “wet” approach. Spray and wet down droppings, urine, and other contaminated materials with a 10 percent bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) and let this soak for 10 minutes. This method helps keep infected particles from becoming airborne, and bleach is highly effective for inactivating the virus.
• Clean up and dispose. Wipe up possible contaminated residue with paper towels, rags, or other disposable materials, and place waste (along with disposable gloves) into a double plastic bag and into the garbage.
• Wash hands after removing gloves. Use soap and warm water to clean your hands.

• Avoid coming into contact with rodents and rodent burrows or disturbing dens.
• Air out cabins and shelters, check for signs of rodent infestation, and clean according to the instructions above.
• Do not pitch tents or place sleeping bags near rodent droppings or burrows.
• If possible, do not sleep on the bare ground. Use tents with floors or a ground cloth.
• Keep food in rodent-proof containers.
• Handle trash according to site restrictions and keep it in rodent-proof containers until disposed of.

“Because early symptoms are like the flu and they may not appear until weeks after exposure, hantavirus can sometimes be hard to diagnose,” says Saira Shahab, MD, an infectious-disease specialist at Episcopal Health Services in Far Rockaway, New York.

If you have been in an environment that might have rodent contamination, symptoms that may appear first include fever, fatigue, and muscle aches (in thighs, hips, and back).

Later signs that typically appear 4 to 10 days after early symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest as lungs fill with fluid.

When to See a Doctor

“Anyone with fever, severe fatigue, or worsening breathing symptoms after potential rodent exposure should seek medical evaluation promptly — especially if shortness of breath develops,” says Dr. Cawcutt.

She adds that although there is no specific cure or antiviral treatment for hantavirus, early medical care and supportive treatment can significantly improve outcomes.

• The hantavirus outbreak of the spring 2026 is the first aboard a cruise ship. Infections in the United States usually occur in rural areas west of the Mississippi River where specific rodents carry the virus.
• Although rare, the virus can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is often fatal.
• People in high-risk areas can take measures to rodent-proof homes and other structures on their property, such as blocking potential entry points for rodents and storing food in secure containers.
• Cleaning potentially contaminated areas must be done with great care — avoiding “dry” methods such as sweeping (which can cause infected particles to become airborne) and opting for “wet” approaches to tamp down and eliminate pathogens.