By Melanie Jacob
Journal Staff Writer
[email protected]
A recent death caused by a Hantavirus has prompted the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health to warn residents about taking precautions when working in outdoor buildings.
"Deer mice are prevalent everywhere in this province and they have this virus that can cause Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is rare, but deadly," said Dr. Denise Werker, deputy chief medical officer for Saskatchewan. "We want everyone to take proper precautions against acquiring Hantavirus infection."
The virus is an autoimmune illness that affects breathing by causing fluid buildup in the lungs. People can contract it if they inhale droplets from the urine or feces of deer mice in particular.
"If they go into their cabins that have been closed for the winter and there have been mice and they open those doors or if they start cleaning and generate dust, then they could inhale the virus and become very sick," said Werker. "Because it's this time of year, we want to make sure people take adequate precaution."
When cleaning, people are advised to use disinfectant and wear gloves, goggles, and filtering masks. If cleaning surfaces, it is recommended that they not vacuum or sweep without first dampening the surface.
Signs of infection can begin anywhere between one and six weeks after exposure, although it averages out at about two weeks. Indicators include flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, abdominal upset, and shortness of breath.
"If they start to get those kinds of symptoms, they should probably seek medical care," said Werker. "The risk is the rapid deterioration. After getting flu-like symptoms, they will become rapidly short of breath and then deteriorate very rapidly."
Once a person begins to feel unwell, the deterioration can happen in about four to five days.
"So basically if you get the flu that's not getting better and then you start feeling short of breath, then you better get yourself to a hospital very quickly," said Werker. "This is the kind of illness that needs to be managed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of the severity of implications on the lungs."
Fortunately, the virus itself is rare. According to Werker, there have only been 27 cases in the past 20 years, including the most recent death this past June. Of those 27 cases, two-thirds of them were male, indicating that men may be more likely to be in situations conducive to exposure.
Nevertheless, the recent death illustrates the potential risk and importance of taking precautions.
