Hantavirus

The handling or treatment of objects that may be harboring
hantavirus should be postponed until your state (or provincial)
health department has been able to provide you with the precise
protocols and procedures. In attending the Interstate Pest Control
conference (required for recertification) yesterday, I sat in a
session on the pathogenic problems that pest control people
potentially face & the topic of hantavirus came up, including the
efficacy of hepa masks & filters and the alarming mortality rate (to
people). In an instance like the one you describe, your
responsibility is first to ascertain that the working conditions are
safe and acceptable. This cannot be done by members of a discussion
list (or in a pest control conference) but only in conjunction with
state health department specialists who are trained and experienced
in determining the best course of action (based on federal disease
control guidelines and protocols). In conferring with these
specialists, you should point out the goal and purpose of your
handling/treatment.

There are suitable protocols for treatment that do not involve Lysol
or bleach, but these are also a serious protocol/procedural issue,
since you do not want to be half right in your treatment. If the
state health officials cannot provide you with satisfactory answers,
then refer to the federal health officials.

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:65
                 Distributed: Friday, January 30, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-65-004
                                  ***