Prevention

What can I do to prevent TBRF?
- Avoid sleeping in rodent-infested buildings whenever possible. Although rodent nests may not be visible, other evidence of rodent activity (e.g., droppings) are a sign that a building may be infested.
- Prevent tick bites. Use insect repellent containing DEET (on skin or clothing) or permethrin (applied to clothing or equipment).
- If you are renting a cabin and notice a rodent infestation, contact the owner to alert them.
- If you own a cabin, consult a licensed pest control professional who can safely:
- Identify and remove any rodent nests from walls, attics, crawl spaces, and floors. (Other diseases can be transmitted by rodent droppings—leave this job to a professional!)
- Treat “cracks and crevices” in the walls with pesticide.
- Establish a pest control plan to keep rodents out.
- Pest Control Professionals and Public Health Departments: Remove rodents and nests, stop rodents from reentering buildings, and reduce exposure to infected ticks pdf icon[PDF – 4 pages]
Activities that put you in contact with deer mouse droppings, urine, saliva, or nesting materials can place you at risk for infection with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a potentially fatal condition. Hantavirus is spread when virus-containing particles from deer mouse urine, droppings, or saliva are stirred into the air. Infection occurs when you breathe in virus particles.