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by Brittany on 17 August 2006 - 03:08
Date: 16 Aug 2006
From: A-Lan Banks
Source: CBS 2, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 15 Aug 2006
Two Los Angeles County residents died from hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome this summer 2006, but it was unclear where the rodent-spread
disease was contracted, public health officials said Tuesday [15 Aug 2006].
One person, whose name, age and gender was unavailable, died in July 2006 after camping in Mono County, an area where rodents are known to
have the virus, according to the Los Angeles County Department of
Health Services.
Then, on 6 Aug 2006 an Antelope Valley youth died after complaining of fever, headache, shortness of breath and a cough, health officials said. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is spread by infected rodents through urine, droppings or saliva. Humans can contract the disease by breathing air in areas contaminated with rodent excrement, but hantavirus cannot be transmitted from person to person, public health officials said [with the exception of Andes hantavirus in South America, which has been shown to be transmitted from an infected person to a susceptible one - Mod.TY]. The disease, primarily spread by the deer mouse [_Peromyscus_], was 1st recognized in 1993. Only 2 other cases in Los Angeles County have been documented, and both patients caught the disease in other parts of the state or outside California.
To prevent the illness, people should seal up rodent entry holes, trap rats and mice, clean up rodent food sources and take precautions when cleaning
rodent-infested areas, according to health officials.
by Brittany on 17 August 2006 - 03:08
[_Peromyscus_ images at:
CDC map of USA distribution by state, as of May 2006:
- Mod.JW]
[see also:
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (CA): fatal 20060801.2124
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (multistate)(02): fatal 20060725.2052
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (multistate) 20060608.1604
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (NM) 20060316.0820
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (TX)(02): RFI 20060311.0770
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (TX) 20060301.0654
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (AZ, NM) 20060211.0456
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - USA (ND) 20060121.0206]
..............ty/msp/jw
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