Posted on 02/28/2006 9:13:08 PM PST by neverdem
Associated Press
EL PASO — An airman who was training at Fort Bliss for deployment to Iraq died of a deadly virus linked to rodents, an Air Force official said today.
Senior Airman Leonard Hankerson Jr., 24, a security forces patrolman, died Feb. 11 at William Beaumont Army Hospital in El Paso. He was assigned to a squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Ariz.
Autopsy results confirmed last week that Hankerson had hantavirus, said Lt. Col. John Paradis, a Luke Air Force Base spokesman. The disease is transmitted to humans when they inhale particles of dried urine, feces or saliva from an infected rodent.
He said it is unclear how or where Hankerson contracted hantavirus.
Fort Bliss officials have started cleaning barracks and other locations where Hankerson spent time to help prevent any spread of the virus.
Yikes!! I did a TDY (temporary duty) at Fort Bliss in the mid 90's, but I didn't contract anything.
Fort Bliss Texas...I spent a week there one day.
Yikes. Barracks or MOUT buildings I wonder?
For Freepers in the Southwest:
Precautions for Inside the Home
Keep food and water covered and stored in rodent-proof containers.
Keep pet food covered and stored in rodent-proof containers.
Allow pets only enough food for each meal, then store or discard any remaining food. Do not leave excess pet food or water out overnight.
If storing trash and food waste inside the home, do so in rodent-proof containers, and frequently clean the interiors and exteriors of the containers with soap and water.
Wash dishes, pans, and cooking utensils immediately after use.
Remove leftover food and clean up all spilled food from cooking and eating areas.
Do not store empty aluminum cans or other opened containers with food residues inside the home.
Dispose of trash and garbage on a frequent and regular basis, and pick up or eliminate clutter.
Keep items (e.g., boxes, clothes, and blankets) off of the floor to prevent rodents from nesting in them.
Repair water leaks and prevent condensation from forming on cold water pipes by insulating them. Deny rodents access to moisture (e.g., mop closets, boiler rooms, catch basins under potted plants, and areas around aquarium tanks).
Correct any conditions that support the growth of mold, mildew, or other fungi in the home.
Keep exterior doors and windows closed unless protected by tight-fitting screens.
Use spring-loaded traps in the home. Use a small amount (the size of a pea) of chunky peanut butter as bait. Place the trap perpendicular to the baseboard or wall surface, with the end of the trap containing the bait closest to the baseboard or wall. Place traps in areas where rodents might be entering the home. Spring-loaded traps can be painful or even dangerous if they close on fingers; they should be handled with caution, and careful consideration should be given to keep children and pets away from areas where traps are placed.
From the CDC website at:
-http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5109a1.htm
can you just burn the place down and get it over with
Antibiotics would do no good against a virus.
Plan B.
Once I hit a mouse using a cheap BB pistol - it made a fatal mistake of sitting still for a few seconds where I could see it.
Your right the only treatment if detected early enough is In intensive care, patients are intubated and given oxygen therapy to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.
The earlier the patient is brought in to intensive care, the better. If a patient is experiencing full distress, it is less likely the treatment will be effective.
Or get a couple of hungry cats.
Good info mkjessup.
How I survived all these years - here in the desert SW - without adhering to all those essential nuggets of knowledge, I will never understand.
My wife survived, too! I'll have to ask her about that.
You have a government job, don't you.
:)
Anyone who now lives in the Southeast USA can contract this virus. The Phoenix area has had no rain for 130+ days.
This dry climate forces rodents that carry the virus, and hence, spread it through their droppings indoors where they go to seek water.
His case is only one of many.
Most Doctors and Hospital ER's really don't think of this virus at first. I'm told that there is a hospital in Albuquerque, NM that has experts for the treatment.
Hantavirus infection (resulting in HPS or HFRS) has been epidemiologically associated with the following situations:
The simplest way to eliminate exposure when cleaning a well house or storage shed, is spray the floor and areas where mice have congregated with a 10% bleach solution before cleaning. Wearing a good dust mask and wearing disposable latex/nitrile gloves should be included in the precautions.
So we camped out behind the MI barracks and drank beer for three days.
Some platoon leaders are alright!
Its going to sound very Cliff Claven, but trust me on this one. A person in Hawaii died from this a few years ago because he drank from a softdrink can that had been stored in a warehouse and rat droppings ended on the rim of the can.
Never, ever drink from soda cans without washing them off first.
From the ABQ Journal:
New Mexico had one case reported last year, in a Los Alamos County man. In 2004, New Mexico had four cases, one each in McKinley, Bernalillo, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties.
Hantavirus was first recognized in 1993 in the Four Corners area where New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet. Since then, New Mexico has reported 66 cases, 27 of them fatal.
Nationwide, 416 cases have been reported in 30 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. About 36 percent of all reported cases have been fatal.
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