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1. What is West Nile virus?

West Nile virus is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) most commonly spread by infected mosquitoes. West Nile virus can cause febrile illness, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord).

West Nile virus transmission has been documented in Europe and the Middle East, Africa, India, parts of Asia, and Australia. It was first detected in North America in 1999, and has since spread across the continental United States and Canada.

2. How do people get infected with West Nile virus?

Most people get infected with West Nile virus by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to humans and other animals.

In a very small number of cases, West Nile virus has been spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants, and from mother to baby during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.

3. What is hantavirus?

Hantavirus is a rare but serious disease that humans can contract through contact with infected rodents or their urine, saliva, blood, or droppings. Since hantavirus was first identified in the United States in 1993, there have been over 600 cases nationally. Approximately 12 percent of deer mice carry hantavirus.
The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre Virus, the strain of hantavirus responsible for most human cases in the United States. The deer mouse is found throughout most of the United States.

4. How is hantavirus treated? Is there a vaccine for hantavirus?

There is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for hantavirus infection. However, if infected individuals are recognized early and receive medical care in an intensive care unit, they may do better. In intensive care, patients are given oxygen therapy or undergo an intubation procedure (insertion of a flexible tube in the airway) to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.

If you have been around rodents and have symptoms of fever, deep muscle aches, and severe shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately. Be sure to tell your doctor that you have been around rodents.

5. What are common symptoms for hantavirus?

According to the Center for Disease Control, symptoms of hantavirus generally begin from one to seven weeks after exposure. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, chills, and muscle aches. About half of patients will experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pain. The disease progresses rapidly (four to 10 days after initial symptoms) to include coughing, shortness of breath, and severe difficulty breathing. Early medical attention greatly increases the chance of survival in cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. If you or a family member develops any of the symptoms listed above after potential contact with rodents or rodent-infested spaces you should seek medical attention immediately and advise your health care professional of the potential exposure to hantavirus. The types of hantavirus that cause hantavirus in the United States cannot be transmitted from one person to another.

6. How and where does one contract hantavirus?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, cases of hantavirus occur sporadically, usually in rural areas where forest, fields, and farms offer suitable habitat for the virus’s rodent hosts. Structures around homes (for example: barns, outbuildings, and sheds) are potential sites where people may be exposed to the virus. In the United States, deer mice (along with cotton rats and rice rats in the southeastern states and the white-footed mouse in the Northeast) carry the virus. The rodents shed the virus in their urine, droppings, and saliva. The virus is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air contaminated with the virus. Participating in activities that can stir up dust in areas where rodents have been active will increase your risk of contracting hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus is at risk of hantavirus. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure.

7. What is plague?

Plague is an infectious disease that affects rodents, certain other animals and humans. It is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria. These bacteria are found in many areas of the world, including the United States.

8. How do people become infected with plague?

People most commonly acquire plague when they are bitten by a flea that is infected with the plague bacteria. People can also become infected from direct contact with infected tissues or fluids while handling an animal that is sick with or that has died from plague. Finally, people can become infected from inhaling respiratory droplets after close contact with cats and humans with pneumonic plague.

9. Could one person get plague from another person?

Yes, when a person has plague pneumonia they may cough droplets containing the plague bacteria into air. If these bacteria-containing droplets are breathed in by another person they can cause pneumonic plague. Human-to-human transmission is rare and typically requires direct and close contact with the person with pneumonic plague.

10. How do people become infected with tularemia?

Typically, people become infected through the bite of infected insects (most commonly, ticks and deerflies), by handling infected sick or dead animals, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by inhaling airborne bacteria.

11. What is tularemia?

Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Tularemia is typically found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares. Tularemia is usually a rural disease and has been reported in all U.S. states except Hawaii.

12. How do I file a complaint about mosquitoes?

Contact any Tri-County office, or enter your complaint online.