The main way to prevent hantavirus infection is to avoid contact with rodents, rodent droppings, urine, saliva, nesting materials, and contaminated dust. If you need to clean an area with signs of rodents, avoid actions that stir up dust, such as dry sweeping or vacuuming.
Most hantavirus prevention is about reducing rodent exposure, not about treating infection after it happens. Health authorities consistently emphasize avoiding rodents and cleaning contaminated spaces safely.
Dry sweeping or vacuuming can stir up contaminated dust. Source-based guidance instead emphasizes wet cleaning with disinfectant to reduce airborne exposure risk.
If you had relevant rodent exposure and later develop fever, muscle aches, fatigue, abdominal symptoms, or breathing problems, seek medical advice and mention the exposure clearly.
This is especially important if you develop coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or other concerning symptoms after cleaning or entering a rodent-contaminated space.
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Understand why these prevention steps matter and how rodent exposure creates most risk.
Read the risk guide for a calm explanation of who usually does and does not need to worry more.
Know what symptoms to watch for after possible exposure.
Yes. Mouse droppings can be part of the exposure pathway, especially if contaminated dust is stirred into the air.
Cleaning can create risk if it stirs up contaminated dust. That is why health authorities advise against dry sweeping or vacuuming rodent droppings.
No. Health authorities advise not to dry sweep or vacuum rodent droppings because that can put contaminated dust into the air.
Wash your hands, clean the area using wet disinfection methods, and seek medical advice if you later develop symptoms after relevant exposure.
Call a doctor if you develop fever, muscle aches, breathing symptoms, or other concerning symptoms after rodent-related exposure.
Provides general prevention context, including how rodent exposure creates most hantavirus risk.
Adds current public-health context and explains why broader public risk remains low even while targeted monitoring continues.
Helps explain why early exposure reduction and safer cleanup matter from a disease-severity perspective.
Adds context for the separate precaution about avoiding close contact with suspected Andes virus cases.
This website is for public information only and does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment.
Last reviewed: May 10, 2026
This site summarizes public information from WHO, CDC, ECDC, PAHO/WHO, and relevant national public health authorities.