Someone PLEASE talk me down..Hantavirus..

[Peaceplease]

On Tuesday I went in the pantry in the basement and got a package of rice to make my kids for dinner. I noticed it looked wet on top around the edges. I thought it was just water, and put it right up to my nose and smelled it to make sure. To my surprise it REEKED of urine. I went back into the pantry and started looking behind everything and noticed mouse poop EVERYWHERE. Apparently we have a mice infestation. My first thought was Hantavirus. Soooo, I have been freaking out for days, but trying my hardest not to google. But today I woke up with a stomachache, my nose is congested, my throat is scratchy and my head hurts. So now I am officially having panic attacks. I live in Ohio and there haven't been any confirmed cases here, but that doesn't mean it isn't here. I don't know what type of mice they are because I haven't seen them. I am literally freaking out, and I'm worried about my kids because I send them in the pantry to bring up canned food and stuff. Can someone please calm me down? I'm way too freaked out to Google now and I dont want to go to the ER and look like an idiot...

[ahrimoniac]

The chances of it being hanta virus is very, very slight - but let's be frank here, because it's just slight and no-one can say for sure, would you not feel better just speaking to a doctor?

I know that when I get up a height about something - for me it's usually my tongue getting too big for my mouth and I get scared I'm going to choke, I force a distraction. Get out for a walk. Don't sit and stew. Failing that - docs.

[LindaRK]

To contract hantavirus, you have to be in a contained area exposed to the feces for a prolonged period of time (24 hours plus).

I live in an area where there IS hantavirus ....... I've had this fear before, but it is really unwarranted.  I've used a leaf blower in my barn where there is alot of mouse poop (from the white bellied mice that carry hanta) and I've never contracted it.  I think you're pretty safe here.

[Nevercalm]

Im from Saskatchewan... lots of deer mice here.. and of course i have been so scared of hantavirus .. its funny how every time i start worrying about it - someone pops up on here who is worrying about it too.. You have a better chance of being struck by lightening then getting hantavirus. I live on a farm so i have been exposed to mice droppings allll the time. I worry about it lots but im still here! you will be fine!

[Peaceplease]

ok now I have a fever..my son was sick yesterday but is a little better today..Im freaking out. Should I assume this is just a virus or could this really be Hanta? I REALLY dont want to go to the ER again and look like a freak..

[Gizmo122]

Peace.

Speaking from experience: when you anticipate nonspecific symptoms like cough, fever, itchy throat, etc---you can easily conjure those symptoms.

Hantavirus is beyond rare: though I've never heard of needing 24 hours of exposure to be infected, I do know you need to agitate the droppings by vacuuming or otherwise disturbing them. To have gotten ill, you would've first needed to have the right kind of mice (deer) and get the bacteria airborne.

Worst case scenario: you are sick, and it's either coincidence or due to one of the many other kinds of viruses found in animal droppings. Hantavirus is on your mind because of the media. Don't jump immediately to it. If you had a million dollars in the bank and someone forced you to wager on whether you had it or not, would you really take the gamble? Relax and rest.

[NervesOButta]

I'm also in Ohio and I have a mouse issue as well.  House move are differ than field mice, that carry Hanta.  Try not to worry!