Hantavirus in Colorado: Cleaning Up After Mice Safely, and the Symptoms Not to Ignore

Hantavirus is a rare but serious illness spread by deer mice, and Colorado is one of the states where it's reported most often. People catch it by breathing in dust from mouse droppings, urine or nests, usually while cleaning sheds, cabins, garages or barns that have been closed up. It starts like the flu, one to eight weeks after exposure, with fever, tiredness and muscle aches, then can quickly cause coughing and severe shortness of breath. There's no specific cure, but early hospital care saves lives. If you develop these symptoms after mouse exposure, go to the ER and tell them about the mice.

How it spreads

• Breathing in tiny particles from mouse droppings, urine or nesting material when they're disturbed, such as by sweeping or vacuuming
• Touching contaminated surfaces and then your nose or mouth
• Rarely, a mouse bite

It does not spread from person to person in the U.S. Pets don't spread it to people.

Symptoms

Early, 1 to 8 weeks after exposure:

• Fever and chills
• Tiredness
• Muscle aches, especially in the thighs, hips, back and shoulders
• Sometimes headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or belly pain

Late, 4 to 10 days after the first symptoms:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath, which can worsen quickly as the lungs fill with fluid

Cleaning up after mice safely

• Air it out first: open doors and windows for at least 30 minutes, and leave the area while it airs out
• Wear rubber or plastic gloves
• Don't sweep or vacuum droppings, nests or dead mice, which puts the virus in the air
• Spray droppings, urine and nests with a bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water) or a disinfectant, and let it soak for 5 minutes
• Wipe up with paper towels, and put them in a sealed plastic bag in the trash
• Mop or wipe floors, counters and surfaces with the bleach solution
• Wash gloved hands, then remove the gloves and wash your hands with soap and water
• Seal up holes and gaps where mice get in, and store food in sealed containers

For a heavy infestation or a building closed up for a long time, consider a professional cleaning service.

When to get seen

If you've had a fever, tiredness and muscle aches within eight weeks of cleaning or being in a place with mice, see a clinician promptly and mention the exposure. Early symptoms can look like many other illnesses, and the clinician may send you to the ER for blood tests and monitoring. At an AfterOurs clinic, a standard self-pay visit is $175, and a self-pay in-clinic visit never costs more than $330. We contract with all major commercial and government plans, including Colorado Medicaid and Medicare. See the cost and insurance page. Our post on shortness of breath covers other causes of breathing trouble.

Go to the ER or call 911 if you have a cough or shortness of breath after flu-like symptoms, especially within eight weeks of contact with mice or their droppings. Tell the ER about the exposure. Breathing can get worse within hours.

Where to find us

Four clinics across metro Denver, all ages welcome, se habla español:

• Hampden (Southeast Denver): 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Littleton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Thornton: 8 AM–11 PM daily
• Highlands: Mon–Fri 5–11 PM, Sat–Sun 8 AM–11 PM

Walk in, or book online.