The hantavirus is a virus that can make you sick. Mice and rats can carry this virus. They don’t get sick from the virus, but people do. This does not happen often in the Netherlands.
How do you get it?
The chance of you getting hantavirus is very small. The virus can be present in the urine or feces of mice and rats. If this dries, the virus can end up in clothing. If you breathe in that dust, you will get sick. You can also become infected if you are bitten by an infected rodent. You cannot get the hantavirus from another person, like you can from a cold or flu.
What do you notice?
Symptoms of hantavirus may include:
- muscle pain
- headache
- fever
- frivolous
- feeling like you have the flu.
Sometimes a person can be sick. Then the kidneys stop working properly.
Complaints may arise between 2 and 3 weeks after infection.
What can you do?
- You can prevent infection by avoiding contact with rodents, their nests, urine and feces.
- Make sure there are no food scraps in the house that attract pests.
- Ventilate areas well when cleaning areas where there may be mouse or rat holes.
The complaints often go away on their own. This may take a few weeks. Sometimes it is necessary to get into the hospital.
Are you allowed to go to school or work?
Do you have complaints, but do you feel good enough?
Then you can just go to work, school or childcare.
Humans cannot catch each other with hantavirus.
Where can you find more information?
Do you have any questions?
Contact the Infectious Disease Control department on 050 367 4000.
2024-08-12 09:01:29
#Hantavirus #GGD #Groningen
