Hantavirus - victim?

[Arachnodisiac]

Another weird request... thanks for putting up with me.

Do any of you know anyone who has had Hantavirus?

Ideally, I'd like to interview them for an article I'm writing.

Thanks!

[Piker]

I know 2 people who had it but I am sorry to say neither survived. Piker

[huntinggr81]

I also knew someone who had it, but sadly he also did not make it.

[fish gunner]

I think you will have a heck of a time Ad, I believe hanta kills 80% of those infected.

[FishingMOM]

Maybe check on facebook, you might find some support groups.
A quick check showed some.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/69282543824/

[Big Daddy Badger]

Very few survive.

Those that do tend to have some lasting medical problems afterwards.

Your best bet might be to look online at medical journals that have been written... contact the author... university etc and see if they can help to put you in contact with anyone from their study group.

There is a good chance that someone is keeping in touch with them to try to get a better understanding of the long term effects.

[Arachnodisiac]

Mortality rate, I believe, is around 40 per cent.

I'm surprised that some of you even know some that have passed.

I am looking specifically for victims from Alberta, but I would take Montana, B.C. and Saskatchewan as well.

I've made contacts via the more official routes, including social media, but sometimes word of mouth like this can be the fastest. (On a deadline, as always...)

Thanks everybody!

[deepfried]

I know a guy that had it and survived ( I think I remember hearing that he was the first guy in alberta to be diagnosed with it , but I can be very wrong ) ... Im currently sitting on a rig site right now but could try and get a hold of him ! He lives in Okotoks ...

[Arachnodisiac]

I know a guy that had it and survived ( I think I remember hearing that he was the first guy in alberta to be diagnosed with it , but I can be very wrong ) ... Im currently sitting on a rig site right now but could try and get a hold of him ! He lives in Okotoks ...

That would totally rock my world.
I will owe you and him several drinks of your choice, to be collected at your convenience!

[Redfrog]

I also know of a guy from Oyen area who had it and survived. I'll try to find out his contact info

[avb3]

Another weird request... thanks for putting up with me.

Do any of you know anyone who has had Hantavirus?

Ideally, I'd like to interview them for an article I'm writing.

Thanks!

As others, I knew one fellow, who I believe was the first or one of the first so diagnosed of the disease here in Alberta.

He too did not make it.

[Arachnodisiac]

I also know of a guy from Oyen area who had it and survived. I'll try to find out his contact info

Thank you!

I figured it's timely –*spring cleaning and all. Plus, we've had a few wet years in a row that could be resulting in increased deer mouse population overall.
But, I didn't just want to do the normal cautioning type of article. I'd rather get into the science of it a little bit, and talk to a survivor to paint a more comprehensive picture of this virus.

As well, there has been person-to-person transmission of a Hantavirus (there are different ones) in South America, which means that this disease could be something a little more difficult to reckon with in the future.

Of course, I often get much too into the details and get smacked down by word count limitations, but it never, ever stops me from trying. ;)

(But a survivor interview would not hit the cutting room floor, that's for sure!)

[greylynx]

The person from Boyle died from Hanta virus.

In addition to Hanta virus you may want to enquire about people who survived Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you live in the south of the province there are a few people who went through that living hell.

Another interesting disease you may be interested in is the Plague. The fleas that are vectors for transmitting this disease are also indigenous to southern Alberta. The fleas are on ground squirrels and rabbits.

And more recently, Lyme disease has shown up in southern Alberta with ticks being the vector of transmission.

Then there are diseases like the Echinococcus tapeworm transferred from dog to man. Another deadly infection associated with trappers.

[Rocky7]

I'm surprised that some of you even know some that have passed.

The lady I knew with Hanta was on her last legs waiting for a heart transplant a couple years ago. It was her only hope and the docs figured she didn't have much time left.

I thought it was usually a killer. Maybe not?

[Arachnodisiac]

The lady I knew with Hanta was on her last legs waiting for a heart transplant a couple years ago. It was her only hope and the docs figured she didn't have much time left.

I thought it was usually a killer. Maybe not?

Almost half of the time, from what I read. The survival rate for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is much better - that's the condition caused by the Hantavirus in Korea and much of the Old World.

Ours is caused by a different Hantavirus (specifically, one of three varieties found in North America) and the resulting condition is called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Harder to beat, unfortunately.

It will be interesting to see if our government is able to answer the questions I am posing to it regarding this topic.


The person from Boyle died from Hanta virus.

In addition to Hanta virus you may want to enquire about people who survived Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you live in the south of the province there are a few people who went through that living hell.

Another interesting disease you may be interested in is the Plague. The fleas that are vectors for transmitting this disease are also indigenous to southern Alberta. The fleas are on ground squirrels and rabbits.

And more recently, Lyme disease has shown up in southern Alberta with ticks being the vector of transmission.

Then there are diseases like the Echinococcus tapeworm transferred from dog to man. Another deadly infection associated with trappers.


So many diseases, so little time!

Lyme is a threat I grew up with, and one that doesn't much frighten me, but it is new here and you're right, that would certainly warrant an article.
As would everything else, really. I'll pitch them all.
I find the Plague very interesting.

[Bushmaster]

Theres a guy in Provost that Im pretty sure had hantavirus....and is still around. I'll check it out.

That said, I' m not sure how he'd feel about being interviewed about it.

[Arachnodisiac]

Theres a guy in Provost that Im pretty sure had hantavirus....and is still around. I'll check it out.

That said, I' m not sure how he'd feel about being interviewed about it.

I find that most people are willing to share their stories in hope that it will help with future prevention. But to each his own, of course.

I should add that many after going through a traumatic experience actually like to talk it out. It can be hard to believe, and when they describe it to someone and see a resulting story, it sort of affirms their pain, and reaffirms their desire to overcome. I don't know why psychologically this helps, but I've certainly seen that demonstrated time and time again.


Thanks for checking!

[Big Daddy Badger]

Epidemiology is kinda my schtick....

Folks wondered about mortality rates so here is a credible database...

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/annual-cases.html

You need to keep in mind that these are small groups of people some may have been infirm...very old or very young. Others would have been young and otherwise healthy so in a better position to survive. Year to year the makeup of the affected groups would vary.

This probably accounts for some of the wild swings in mortality rates

There is some indication in the trend that diagnosis and health care response likely improved as people became more aware that the disease was prevalent and/or as health care workers gained experience from past cases.

[Twisted Canuck]

I could pretend I had it and lived, if you'll buy me drinks.......:thinking-006: It probably won't rock your world as much, but I could read up on it and give a believable interview for you.......:)

[leeaspell]

Sort of off topic but ill put it here any way. Heard on the radio there is a recall on noname beef burgers and steakettes for ecoli. If you have any you are advised to dispose of them. This public service announcement brought to you be me

[Big Daddy Badger]

Sort of off topic but ill put it here any way. Heard on the radio there is a recall on noname beef burgers and steakettes for ecoli. If you have any you are advised to dispose of them. This public service announcement brought to you be me

Distributed through Loblaws nationally.

A link that might interest some

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/about-the-cfia/newsroom/food-recalls-and-allergy-alerts/eng/1299076382077/1299076493846

[billycap]

A buddy of mines dad is a health inspector in wainwright and ive been told he is one of the leading guys to do with this virus.. I could prob drum his contact info if you would like.. He would surely be able to put you in contact with a survivor.

[Arachnodisiac]

A buddy of mines dad is a health inspector in wainwright and ive been told he is one of the leading guys to do with this virus.. I could prob drum his contact info if you would like.. He would surely be able to put you in contact with a survivor.

Well, he would have to go through the proper channels, and I would have to make a formal request, and the government would be very concerned about privacy laws... probably be easier for all involved to stick with the unconventional method first. :) Thanks though!

I could pretend I had it and lived, if you'll buy me drinks.......:thinking-006: It probably won't rock your world as much, but I could read up on it and give a believable interview for you.......:)

Ha! Thanks for the offer, but I'd have to painfully kill myself for sacrificing my journalistic integrity for the chance to buy you a drink. :)

Epidemiology is kinda my schtick....

Folks wondered about mortality rates so here is a credible database...

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/annual-cases.html


Also, as I understand it, awareness among the public was key to seeking timely care. In this initial outbreak at Four Corners, no one had any clue what the deal was, although the elders at the reserve had seen it before and correlated it with atypical moisture and abundant rodents.

There was a really great chapter on it in Virus Hunter, by C.J. Peters. Have you read it? I love epidemiology!

[threeforthree]

Epidemiology is kinda my schtick....

Folks wondered about mortality rates so here is a credible database...

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/annual-cases.html

You need to keep in mind that these are small groups of people some may have been infirm...very old or very young. Others would have been young and otherwise healthy so in a better position to survive. Year to year the makeup of the affected groups would vary.

This probably accounts for some of the wild swings in mortality rates

There is some indication in the trend that diagnosis and health care response likely improved as people became more aware that the disease was prevalent and/or as health care workers gained experience from past cases.

I tried to look up death rates for H2S, is there some good Data base like this Pesky

[Twisted Canuck]

Ha! Thanks for the offer, but I'd have to painfully kill myself for sacrificing my journalistic integrity for the chance to buy you a drink. :)



OK, we'll skip the fake interview for the sake of your journalistic integrity, I wouldn't want you to harm yourself quickly or slowly.

Now, how about that drink?:love0025:

[Arachnodisiac]

OK, we'll skip the fake interview for the sake of your journalistic integrity, I wouldn't want you to harm yourself quickly or slowly.

Now, how about that drink?:love0025:

Let me know if you're ever in the area. :)

[Okotokian]

Mortality rate, I believe, is around 40 per cent.

I'm surprised that some of you even know some that have passed.
!

No kidding, given the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says there have been 50 cases in Canada (CBC said 60 a few years ago). Stats on death rate seem to be closer to 30% in Canada.

[Arachnodisiac]

I know... it's really bizarre, actually.

I sent off a bunch of questions to our health ministry late last night...
The gov't admin folks here are Harperesque, and try to send you links with generic information that are already in the public sphere, even when you have digested this information already. Anyway... it takes extra effort to get what I need from them almost all of the time, and I am hoping to have this information by deadline.

[Sneeze]

Harperesque...


Even the mice scientists have teamed up with Stephen Harper to try and thrwart your ever so noble and most definately unbiased attempt to shine some light on the Haunta Virus!

:rolleye2:

[greylynx]

Phone up the department of epidemiology, or even virology (Micobiology) at the U of A medical sciences or health sciences centre in Edmonton. Tell the professor or grad student that you are a journalist and would like to publish their name in your news report.

No one from the government ever wants to talk to the media for fear of being fired, but reasearch people at educational institutions love reporters.

[fordtruckin]

The person from Boyle died from Hanta virus.

In addition to Hanta virus you may want to enquire about people who survived Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. If you live in the south of the province there are a few people who went through that living hell.

Another interesting disease you may be interested in is the Plague. The fleas that are vectors for transmitting this disease are also indigenous to southern Alberta. The fleas are on ground squirrels and rabbits.

And more recently, Lyme disease has shown up in southern Alberta with ticks being the vector of transmission.

Then there are diseases like the Echinococcus tapeworm transferred from dog to man. Another deadly infection associated with trappers.



back in the mid 90s my school teachers daughter was diagnosed with Lymes disease. With in the past 2 years one of my FIL's friends north of Sylvan was diagnosed with Lymes. He had had issues since before I knew the family they just finally figured out what it was.

[Toirtis]

I also knew someone who had it, but sadly he also did not make it.

Ditto...mortality rate is pretty brutal.

[thunderheart]

sorry for my ignorance but if hanta virus is the mouse chit disease there is a fellow.. a very skinny fellow that suffered for yrs from it .. he is still alive .. i am looking at his boat across the harbour as i type

[Gerr]

Good Morning --
Your looking for someone with Hanta Virus. I'm your guy.I've had it for a year now and I wouldn't give it to my worst enemy. You can drop me an email if you want. pm me for my email.

Gerry

[Arachnodisiac]

Thank you, pm sent. :)

[Fisherpeak]

Good Morning --
Your looking for someone with Hanta Virus. I'm your guy.I've had it for a year now and I wouldn't give it to my worst enemy. You can drop me an email if you want. pm me for my email.

Gerry

An odd but unique way to meet a woman.Good luck.

[pickrel pat]

An odd but unique way to meet a woman.Good luck.

x2, i was thinking the same thing! The guy probably breathed in as much mouse poop dust until it was confirmed he had caught the virus, then he probably searched all the forums relentlessly, hoping a woman would want to study him or ask him questions about it....... today is that lonely mans day! I may have to try something similar......:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[greylynx]

Hey Gerr:

First of all, congratualtions for surviving this deadly virus.

Do you feel well enough to tell us the story of your infection.

A lot of us AO folks live and work in a Hanta virus environment.

If you are too ill for telling us don't worry about it man.

Thank you very much for posting.

[Arachnodisiac]

He is a 75-year-old Calgarian.

He found this thread by searching about his illness.

He's in the recovery stage, but as many victims do, he is suffering a myriad of pretty severe ongoing residual symptoms.

I've already done the story, but I have a couple resources that I can provide for him, and hopefully that will help him in some small way.

[greylynx]

He is a 75-year-old Calgarian.

He found this thread by searching about his illness.

He's in the recovery stage, but as many victims do, he is suffering a myriad of pretty severe ongoing residual symptoms.

I've already done the story, but I have a couple resources that I can provide for him, and hopefully that will help him in some small way.

I am a geezer so I can say "Good Girl"

Please try to dig up as much information on how to prevent this virus.

I just did the attic in granny's old house a week ago. I used a heavy bleach water mixture in a dandelion sprayer before going in with Lysol and water.

I do not know if wearing a surgical mask was helpful.


If you get published, us AO members will be e mailing your publisher to tell him or her what a valuable asset you are.

[Arachnodisiac]

It's already been published.

I'll do a copy and paste here - it was a three-part series and should give you a good handle on what you can do to avoid it. I'll post each story as a different post, so that the read isn't too tedious. Also, these are the unedited versions, so there may be an error here or two. I self-edit of course, but it usually takes another couple of people to catch them all. :)

Headline 1: Spring cleaning means increased hantavirus risk
Deck option 2: HANTAVIRUS HOTSPOT} Alberta is the capital of Hantavirus illness with 42 cases and 10 deaths.
Photos
BabyMouse.jpg -
It can be hard to tell rodent species apart when they are infants, like this one. It is best to err on the side of caution and assume all rodents as a possible hantavirus vector.

In the giddy delight of longer days and warmer temperatures, many landowners will take to cleaning outbuildings and machinery with new-found energy. However, as pleasant as the sunshine may be, people must take care to avoid exposure to hantavirus which can cause a rare, but often fatal disease.

The virus is contracted by inhaling infected droplets from rodent urine, saliva and feces. There are many hantaviruses, but the one found Canada is the Sin Nombre Virus (SNV) and its vector is the common deer mouse. The resulting disease from SNV is called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and it is fatal in 30 - 40 per cent of cases. By conducting surveys on deer mice in Alberta, it was learned that as little as one per cent or as much as 35 per cent of the deer mice population carry the virus, depending on region and localized conditions.

Its discovery in North America is relatively recent, and dates back to 1993 to the Four Corners area of the southwest United States, although it has likely existed long before it was found here. Hantaviruses were known to exist in other parts of the world since the 1970s, but the hantavirsues there cause a different disease known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Some hantaviruses do not cause any illness in humans.

Alberta was home to the first hantavirus illness, which occurred in 1989 and was later retroactively diagnosed after SNV was discovered in North America. Since then, there have been approximately 60 cases in Canada, 42 of which have been found in Alberta – 10 were fatal.

The peak infection time is during the months of April, May and June and 70 per cent of victims are ranchers or farmers. The volume of incidents in the spring may be attributed to increased activity in outbuildings that had been left undisturbed all winter, allowing mouse nests, feces and urine to accumulate.

The course of the illness varies, but the incubation period is typically two weeks, though it can be as short as a few days, or as long as six weeks.

Initially the patient will experience fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and stomach problems. As the disease progresses through the next three to seven days, the symptoms become increasingly severe. The victim may develop a secretion-producing cough and a shortness of breath which mean fluid is accumulating within the lungs. Low blood pressure and reduced heart efficiency may follow and death may follow.

There is no treatment specific for HPS, but early detection and admission into the hospital improves the patient’s prognosis. With supportive medical care such as intubation and oxygen therapy, a victim’s critical systems may be supported enough to avoid mortality. Recovery can take months or even years, and ongoing fatigue is commonly experienced by survivors.

[Arachnodisiac]

Headline 2: Beating the odds – how an Alberta woman beat Hantavirus
Deck option 1: CLOSE TO DEATH} When Cathy was admitted to a Calgary hospital, she was hours from death.

Pullout 1: "Farmers are healthy, strapping men, but this can knock them down and kill them. It can take their lives." – Cathy K., survivor.
Pullout 2: “I looked up and there must have been seven people around me – respiratory techs, nurses and doctors – and then I heard them say that if I thrashed, they’d hold me down.” – Cathy K., survivor.

One week, Cathy K. (last name withheld by request) was a vibrant, healthy wife, mother and music teacher. The following week, she was fighting for her life in a Calgary hospital, wondering whether she’d see her son’s next birthday.

Cathy was exposed to Hantavirus around Halloween of 2002, when she was 44 years old. She and her husband and their five-year-old son were living on an acreage just seven kilometers east of Calgary. One day, Cathy’s husband was rearranging the wood pile situated just outside the patio doors and in it, he discovered a mouse nest.

Ironically foreshadowing future events, when her husband told her about the mouse nest he had found, Cathy said, ‘Oh great, now we’re all going to get Hantavirus and die.’

Some of the wood from the pile was later brought into their home, and Cathy swept the area next to where it was stacked. The wood, of course, contained dry mouse feces and urine which became airbourne when Cathy swept. She inhaled the virus deep into her lungs, and it remained in her body like a ticking time bomb for weeks.

Three weeks later, on a Friday, she began to feel some flu symptoms, and she called in sick to work. On Saturday, she still felt ill, but on Sunday, Cathy felt well enough to attend a family gathering. By Monday, she was too ill to go to work, but then recovered enough to return to work on Tuesday. But on Wednesday, she took a turn for the worse, and missed work for the remainder of the week.

“On Saturday morning I got up and I said my destination was the doctor, or the hospital. We just have to go. I tried to shower and I was out of breath. I was really weak.”

Cathy says it hadn’t even occurred to her to go to the doctor earlier, because she assumed it was just the flu. In retrospect, she believes her falling blood oxygen levels were impairing her judgement and her ability to evaluate how sick she truly was.

She wasn’t coughing, and she hadn’t noticed any shortness of breath until that Saturday, but the ongoing weakness she experienced was a symptom of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

The virus invades the body, and the immune system responds by attacking certain cells which harbour the virus. The internal structure of the cells are damaged, and they begin leaking fluids. This causes the lungs to slowly fill up with fluid, restricting oxygen intake, and can also cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure. In other words, Cathy was slowly drowning in her own fluids.

Still inaccurately evaluating her condition, Cathy opted for a medical clinic instead of a hospital.

“When I got to the clinic, I laid down on the floor. I’m a teacher, I’m a professional – I don’t go into someone’s office and lay on their floor in front of their reception desk,” she said.

The receptionist became alarmed and brought Cathy to the doctor right away.

“I think he thought I was faking it. He tried to take my blood pressure and I had no reading. It was not measureable,” she said.

The doctor told Cathy to go home and take some Tylenol.

“And then I said I’d been throwing up water, and it saved my life. He said to go immediately to the ER.”

Cathy’s husband rushed her to Rockyview Hospital. Too weak to sit up, she laid down in the back of the van. By the time she arrived, she couldn’t walk.

She was admitted and treated with oxygen, with initially helped. But even with the oxygen therapy, her blood gas levels continued to worsen and she was moved to the ICU in the middle of the night.

“I looked up and there must have been seven people around me – respiratory techs, nurses and doctors – and then I heard them say that if I thrashed, they’d hold me down.”

She realized the medical team was about to intubate her, and that was her last memory before entering a three-day drug-induced coma.

In total, Cathy spent 13 days in the hospital. Had she not received medical attention when she did, she would have been dead within hours. She credits her survival to Canada’s healthcare system, an exceptional medical team and plenty of prayer.

For the first three weeks after returning home, Cathy was very weak. A small woman to begin with, she was only 90 pounds after leaving the hospital. But unlike many others who experience scarring in their lungs, she was lucky and doesn’t suffer from the same debilitating symptoms other survivors must cope with.

The experience was life-changing, and humbling. Cathy’s faith is stronger now, and she feels as though she was spared.

“I feel it was a miracle.”

Cathy and her family have since moved back to the city, and she continues to work as a music teacher. She urges people not to gamble with Hantavirus.

“You must take this seriously. It’s taken people’s lives. Farmers are healthy, strapping men, but this can knock them down and kill them. It can take their lives.”

[Arachnodisiac]

Hantavirus safety tips sidebar
]Note: Please be sure to leave the specific information about what type of mask to us in the information. Many people think dust masks offer enough protection, but they don't.

Headline 1: Taking precautions to avoid Hantavirus now can save a life later

There are measures that can be taken to reduce the chances of being exposed to hantavirus. Most advice includes avoiding rodents, and deer mice especially, but that’s an impossible task if living in a rural area. However, producers can still be proactive and take steps to stay healthy.

• Do as much as possible to reduce the rodent population. do not kill the natural predators of rodents. Keep dog food, cat food and horse feed in plastic rodent-proof containers.

• Guard your home against mouse invaders. Set traps, keep a house cat, ensure door and other possible entrances are secure. Keep wood piles 100 feet away from the house and at least 12 inches off the ground.

• Do not leave food sources around your house. Enclose your garbage in cans, sweep the floor regularly, ensure dishes are cleaned in a timely manner. If you evidence of rodent activity, such as droppings, take action by trapping or poison baiting.

• Keep the grass around your home short, remove debris, garbage and junk from your property. Old tires, rarely used buildings and defunct vehicles and machinery make excellent nesting and breeding grounds for mice and hantavirus.

• Before dealing with droppings, nests or rodent carcasses, treat the offending matter with diluted bleach in a 1:10 ratio and wait 10 minutes for the solution to take effect.

• Before handling rodent carcasses or waste, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands immediately after disposing of the carcass and gloves. Dispose of waste and carcasses in a double plastic bag, or by burning.

• Before cleaning a building which may have housed mice, open the doors and windows and air it out for at least 30 minutes before and after disinfecting for clean-up.

• Water down the entire area to be cleaned with a water and bleach mix to saturate any dust which could cause feces and urine to become airbourne and dangerous.

• Do not sweep or vacuum. Remove droppings and nests by damp mopping or a similiar wet-removal technique.

• Wear an appropriate mask such as the NIOSH-approved 100 series filters, or a respirator with P100 cartridges. An N95 mask may also be used, and are commonly sold in pharmacies and used in influenza outbreaks. Wear goggles and full clothing to reduce any exposed skin.

• After clean-up is complete, dispose of gloves and mask, and wash goggles with hot soapy water. Soiled clothing should be removed immediately and washed in hot, soapy water before being dried thoroughly.

• Talk to your family and remind them to take precautions. Children are notorious for wanting to explore buildings, crawl spaces and old equipment. Remind your friends and keep an eye out for symptoms. If in doubt, seek medical attention and be sure to mention possible hantavirus exposure.

Safety tips compiled from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Government of Alberta, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[greylynx]

WOW:

I can see you edited and edited each and every draft to convey the most amount of information in the least amount of print.

I have read numerous Hanta virus articles in country newspapers and magazines, but none have attacked both the human element and the preventative element in such a nice systematic flow through format.

Young Lady, you are an excellent communicator

[Arachnodisiac]

Thanks Greylynx!

That's kind of you to say.
I'm pleased you liked it and I hope it was useful. :)


WOW:

I can see you edited and edited each and every draft to convey the most amount of information in the least amount of print.

I have read numerous Hanta virus articles in country newspapers and magazines, but none have attacked both the human element and the preventative element in such a nice systematic flow through format.

Young Lady, you are an excellent communicator

[pickrel pat]

WOW:

I can see you edited and edited each and every draft to convey the most amount of information in the least amount of print.

I have read numerous Hanta virus articles in country newspapers and magazines, but none have attacked both the human element and the preventative element in such a nice systematic flow through format.

Young Lady, you are an excellent communicator

I agree. Could almost be made a sticky since outdoorsmen are around this envirenment so much....... (cabins, woodpiles, etc....)

[Arachnodisiac]

I agree. Could almost be made a sticky since outdoorsmen are around this envirenment so much....... (cabins, woodpiles, etc....)

If it will be made into a sticky, I'll modify it for the outdoors crowd first.

If mods want to let me know, I'll get it done quickly.
This is a nasty virus and I'd love for people to take more precautions.

[Arachnodisiac]

I knew I was missing something.

Here is the correct first article. I finally was able to interview the expert in Alberta chief medical officer, so here is the article with his quotes included.
Sorry about that. I'd also been able to get some more statistics, so those changed slightly as well.

***
In the giddy delight of longer days and warmer temperatures, many landowners will take to cleaning outbuildings and machinery with new-found energy. However, as pleasant as the sunshine may be, people must take care to avoid exposure to hantavirus which can cause a rare, but often fatal disease.

The virus is contracted by inhaling infected droplets from rodent urine, saliva and feces. There are many hantaviruses, but the one found Canada is the Sin Nombre Virus (SNV) and its vector is the common deer mouse. The resulting disease from SNV is called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and it is fatal in 30 - 40 per cent of cases.

“We have to assume that all mice feces are contaminated, even though obviously that’s not always the case, and take the proper precautions,” says Dr. André Corriveau, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Its discovery in North America is relatively recent, and dates back to 1993 to the Four Corners area of the southwest United States. Hantaviruses were known to exist in other parts of the world since the 1970s, but the hantavirsues there cause a different disease known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Some hantaviruses do not cause any illness in humans.

Alberta was home to the first hantavirus illness, which occurred in 1989 and was later retroactively diagnosed after SNV was discovered in North America. Alberta is also Canada’s hantavirus capital – there have been approximately 60 cases in Canada, 42 of which have been found in Alberta, and 10 were fatal.

“It’s certainly a prevalent disease in the central U.S., and I think it’s just the climate that favours the type of mice and the ecology that sustains it,” Corriveau said.

Research conducted by the Public Health Agency of Canada revealed that as many as 48.7 per cent of deer mice near a hantavirus cluster in Alberta were infected. In contrast, another community tested showed that only 33 per cent carried the virus. In the Four Corners outbreak, 30 per cent of the deer mice sampled were positive for hantavirus.

In any given area, the carrier population could be significantly lower as well, but the higher the deer mouse population, the higher the risk.

“The risk fluctuates with the population of deer mice, which goes in cycles,” said Corriveau.

The peak infection time is during the months of April, May and June and 70 per cent of victims are ranchers or farmers. The volume of incidents in the spring may be attributed to increased activity in outbuildings that had been left undisturbed all winter, allowing mouse nests, feces and urine to accumulate.

“You want to avoid direct contact and also creating the dust because the worst is when you inhale it – that’s when people get the worst disease from the mouse feces that contain the virus. They get a really fulminant pneumonia that fills their lungs quickly and then time is of the essence to get to an ICU,” Corriveau explained.

The course of the illness varies, but the incubation period is typically two weeks, though it can be as short as a few days, or as long as six weeks. Initially the patient will experience fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and stomach problems. As the disease progresses through the next three to seven days, the symptoms become increasingly severe. The victim may develop a secretion-producing cough and a shortness of breath which mean fluid is accumulating within the lungs. Low blood pressure and reduced heart efficiency may follow and death may occur.

“You can’t breathe, you can’t get enough oxygen in your blood. You need mechanical ventilation to force it, you can’t just do it on your own and you get really fatigued to try and breathe that fast,” said Corriveau.
There is no treatment specific for HPS, but early detection and admission into the hospital improves the patient’s prognosis. With supportive medical care such as intubation and oxygen therapy, a victim’s critical systems may be supported enough to avoid mortality.

“It’s very intensive care and in a small rural hospital they wouldn’t be able to provide that care and because the disease evolves so quickly, if somebody thinks they have been exposed and starts to feel respiratory distress, they have to rush to a hospital quickly because time makes a difference in terms of survival,” Corriveau said.

Public outreach and education may be why Alberta’s mortality rate is slightly lower than the average and Corriveau theorized that patients may be seeking treatment sooner as a result of ongoing hantavirus awareness efforts.

“If somebody is at home and they think it’s just a bad flu or something, they can wake up so advanced with the disease in the morning that they don’t have time to get to a hospital,” he said. “We are trying to make sure that people are aware and taking precautions.”

[tbiddy]

This is great info. I'm just getting the RV out of storage and there have been mouse in there. We caught a couple in traps and there are droppings on the floor and in cupboards. I just changed the inverter where there were droppings. Had all the windows open and sprayed down the area with Spray Nine. Didn't know about the vacuuming. Will pick up some N95 masks before finishing the clean tomorrow.

[Arn?Narn.]

Hey there

As you know , I work with ARO's, infectious diseases, epidemiology, surveillance, outbreak management etc.

I enjoyed the article very much.

[Arachnodisiac]

Hey there

As you know , I work with ARO's, infectious diseases, epidemiology, surveillance, outbreak management etc.

I enjoyed the article very much.

Thank you!

I definitely geeked out a little. I love doing assignments like this one. :)

[bowhunter9841]

Wish I would have read this two weeks ago, I just cleaned out my garage and there was mouse poop in there. Of course being ignorant to the whole virus and not really understanding it, I swept the garage out. Fingers are crossed that I'll be alright! And my kids too! They were playing out front of the garage at the time!

[Arachnodisiac]

Awwww, that really sucks. :(

On the bright side, this is really, really rare.
And now that you know what to watch out for in terms of symptoms, if anyone did become ill, you'll be totally on the ball now.


Wish I would have read this two weeks ago, I just cleaned out my garage and there was mouse poop in there. Of course being ignorant to the whole virus and not really understanding it, I swept the garage out. Fingers are crossed that I'll be alright! And my kids too! They were playing out front of the garage at the time!

[gone fishin]

moge@wildroseinternet.ca
Good Morning Gerry, I also have had hanta,and am just recovering now. I would really appreciate some info as far as what to expect in the next while. I was confirmed June 29,2012-same day I was released from the hospital. Please email if you get a chance.
Gerald P.
Good Morning --
Your looking for someone with Hanta Virus. I'm your guy.I've had it for a year now and I wouldn't give it to my worst enemy. You can drop me an email if you want. pm me for my email.

Gerry

[TomE]

Great Read and Info...

[nof60]

Another weird request... thanks for putting up with me.

Do any of you know anyone who has had Hantavirus?

Ideally, I'd like to interview them for an article I'm writing.

Thanks!

My aunt was one of the first ones in Saskatchewan to die from it in 1997. Your welcome to interview her but you will probably need to use a oija board.

[Arachnodisiac]

moge@wildroseinternet.ca
Good Morning Gerry, I also have had hanta,and am just recovering now. I would really appreciate some info as far as what to expect in the next while. I was confirmed June 29,2012-same day I was released from the hospital. Please email if you get a chance.
Gerald P.

Hi gone fishin!

Received your email... was traveling all day and didn't have a chance to reply.
I'm very sorry to hear of your illness, but I am happy you found this thread and this board because of you search for information!

As you probably read above, I have already compiled my articles and published them, but I will email you with some other information. As well, I will likely do a similar story next year and will be able to tell your story then.

[jryley]

One thing im curious about, and correct me if im wrong, didnt see it in the article. You stated that depending on the area of alberta some deer mouse populations carry as little as 1% and as much as 35%.....which areas of the province has the high percentage and which has the low?

[Arachnodisiac]

One thing im curious about, and correct me if im wrong, didnt see it in the article. You stated that depending on the area of alberta some deer mouse populations carry as little as 1% and as much as 35%.....which areas of the province has the high percentage and which has the low?

It's completely different. Mice live in macro populations, and hot spots can be very near one another, or very far. The data did not support identifying a geographic area as being higher or lower risk. Also, due to the lifespan of a mouse, their populations change quickly and are very dynamic, so a hot spot could totally change in a matter of weeks as well.

It's best to assume the worst and prepare for it.

In the Four Corners outbreak (which is when we first learned we had this virus in North America) it had been a year with conditions ripe for a rodent population burst. (I believe it had been wetter than usual, if I recall.) So of course, any significant increase in population is going to accompany an increase of risk for human encounters and thus, disease as well.

[Arachnodisiac]

Two deaths at national park due to Hanta. (http://news.yahoo.com/yosemite-officials-1-700-visitors-risk-disease-171600477.html)

[Speckle55]

Two deaths at national park due to Hanta. (http://news.yahoo.com/yosemite-officials-1-700-visitors-risk-disease-171600477.html)

Wow :sad0147:sad hey !! :thinking-006:good thing for CDC tracking it down

thanks for sharing

David:)

[AbAngler]

This is scary stuff. We have an old camper on our property that is used primarily for storage. There are always lots of deer mice in the traps every time I'm out. Common to catch 5 or 6 in a week. I usually just sweep out the turds, wipe the floor with bleach and vacuum up where I can't sweep. Think I'll start wearing a mask.

Question: How long does the virus live once its been pooped out?

[R22R]

I contracted Hantavirus in Wainwright in 2015 after a military exercise on the base there. Three weeks after getting back to my hometown of Quebec City, I started getting symptoms of gastro. Next thing you know, I'm in an induced coma for 8 days, on life support and ECMO. It took them a while to figure out what it was.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904570/

[winmag]

very informative , thank you for posting , this is why i like to see weasels around the cabin, snakes, owls, foxes and coyotes do there part too . A question are the eaters of the mice immune ?

[Twisted Canuck]

Four year old thread resurrected by a first time poster from Quebec.....interesting thread for sure.

[Sooner]

Four year old thread resurrected by a first time poster from Quebec.....interesting thread for sure.

X2

[Arachnodisiac]

Nope - their predators are not immune, although I don't believe that the predators can then spread it to humans. They are thought to be a "dead end" host. :)

very informative , thank you for posting , this is why i like to see weasels around the cabin, snakes, owls, foxes and coyotes do there part too . A question are the eaters of the mice immune ?

[Arachnodisiac]

That's super interesting. Glad you made it!
What kind of tents were you staying in? Were they permanently there or recently set up for your training?

I contracted Hantavirus in Wainwright in 2015 after a military exercise on the base there. Three weeks after getting back to my hometown of Quebec City, I started getting symptoms of gastro. Next thing you know, I'm in an induced coma for 8 days, on life support and ECMO. It took them a while to figure out what it was.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904570/

[outcampn]

A very good friend survived it also. It was nip and tuck for many weeks. The UofA pulled him through. This was 2 years ago and he still goes for physio. He is doing good tho', he managed to get out hunting this fall and was able to provide some "real" meat for the table :)