Hantavirus was first detected in the United States in 1993. At that time, human cases were occurring in the Four Corners area of the Southwest (the point where Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico meet). The first case of human hantavirus infection in Texas was also reported in 1993. 

Dogs and cats are not known to become sick with hantaviruses or to be able to spread hantaviruses to people. 

Patients with hantavirus can receive relief through supportive care at a hospital, but there is no treatment for hantavirus disease in people. Antibiotics will not cure hantavirus infection. 

Only certain rodents (such as rats and mice) are known to carry hantavirus. 

Even if you do not see rodents directly, you can look for their droppings (which look like black grains of rice), trails, rub and gnaw marks, tracks, or nests. Rodent nests are made of various materials, such as twigs, grass, insulation, and newspaper. 

If you need help with rodent control, contact a pest management professional. If there are a large number of rodents inside a building, special respiratory-protection gear may be needed when disposing of them and their waste. 

• Remove the three things rodents need to survive: food, water, and shelter. 
• Keep food in a refrigerator or in sealed containers. 
• Wash dishes and remove spilled food. 
• Place garbage in a can with a tight-fitting lid. 
• Do not leave food for animals in feeding dishes overnight. 
• Promptly dispose of trash and clutter. 
• Seal or screen all openings to the house. Use caulk to seal cracks and steel wool or metal screen to close larger holes. 
• Keep lumber and firewood stored outdoors on racks, not on the ground. 
• Set spring-loaded (snap) traps. Place traps where children and pets cannot reach them. 

To dispose of rodents and their waste, follow these steps: 

• Before cleaning, spray any rodent carcasses with an insecticide that kills fleas. Also treat your pets for fleas. Be sure to follow label directions. Fleas may feed on the blood of rodents. When rodents are removed, the fleas may feed on other animals, including humans. While fleas are not known to transmit hantavirus, fleas can transmit diseases such as flea-borne typhus or (rarely) plague. 
• Spray disinfectant (e.g., bleach mixed according to label directions or a disinfectant labeled for hantavirus) on the dead rodent and its nest, droppings, and urine. Let it soak for at least 5 minutes, or longer if recommended in label directions. 
• Open doors and windows to allow fresh air to enter the area and to remove air that might contain the virus. Leave them open for 30 minutes before cleaning; leave the area during this time. 
• When you are cleaning, wear a face mask that will help trap dust, so you do not inhale it. For general cleaning purposes, an N95 mask might provide some level of protection. An N95 mask looks like a surgical mask and will be labeled N95. When cleaning areas heavily affected by rodents, an N100 mask or a respirator with an N100/HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter may be needed to provide enough protection. 
• Do not touch the rodent or its waste with your bare hands. Wear waterproof gloves (such as latex, rubber, or vinyl). 
• Use a paper towel dampened with disinfectant to wipe up rodent urine or droppings. Do not sweep or vacuum rodent waste or nests as this might spread the virus in the air. 
• Place the rodent and other materials in a plastic bag, including items used in the cleanup process, such as paper towels. Tie or “zip lock” the bag and place it in another bag. Dispose of this bag in a covered outdoor garbage can. 
• Use disinfectant on the surface where the rodent or rodent waste was found. 
• Wash your gloved hands with soap and water or a disinfectant before taking them off. Once your gloves are removed, wash your hands again with soap and water.