There has been a lot of talk about the hantavirus in the news lately. Everyone has been asking, “Is Hantavirus going to be the next global pandemic?” My answer is….No. Don’t let the news headlines scare you.
For those who aren’t aware, the hantavirus is a virus which is transmitted primarily through the feces, urine, or even the saliva of infected rodents, particularly mice and rats. Humans can’t transmit this common version in North America to other humans but there is a sub-variant called the Andes Virus which can be transferred from human to human. This variant is typically seen in South America. It generally requires very close, direct contact, such as prolonged proximity, sharing utensils, or intimate contact like kissing to have signs of digestive issues, diarrhea, cramping, and respiratory infections. Casual contact alone is unlikely to spread the virus.
So my verdict is that it’s not going to be a pandemic. You don’t need to be anxious and worried that we’re going through the COVID trauma again with a much more dangerous virus but it is worth having a conversation about the mouse to human transmission (the more common version rather than the close contact version). It is a pretty significant threat under the right circumstances. It is transmitted only from the feces, urine, or saliva of mice and rats. How do humans get exposed? Usually it’s when they’re cleaning up areas contaminated with mouse or rat feces and urine. When people are cleaning up mouse poop messes in basements or old storerooms, the dust from that becomes infectious. It get’s into the lungs.
What do you do if you have this situation? You need water and some personal protection gear like gloves and googles. Also, get an N95 dust mask. These are quality, high end masks that provide good protection. An N95 mask that fits really tightly to your face does a good job of preventing aerosols and dust (and the virus particles it contains) from getting into your lungs. That’s what you want. Then clean with water. Use a mop, not a broom. Brooms create dust. Use a damp mop or wet towels to clean up the mess. That’s the safe way.
If you suspect you have the Hantavirus, go to the hospital to be checked. I can’t stress this enough. If its the apocalypse and you have no ER to run to, include licorice Glycyrrhiza glabra, which has polyphenols that inhibited the virus in test tubes, (no human data yet), and sweet wormwood, Artemisia annua (early preliminary research but not with humans yet). Elderberry has activity against enveloped RNA viruses similar to Hantavirus. But again, we have no real-world data yet. Immune supporting herbs like olive leaf, astragalus, and echinacea might help the immune system fight it off. But we have zero information on that. Don’t assume those are your “go to” herbs for killing that particular virus. They could be your “go to” herbs for lots of other viruses like corona, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, all of which have similarities to Hantavirus.
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