Hantavirus prevention: rodent control and exposure avoidance (CDC)

Not medical advice. This page is a summary of guidance published by the CDC. Local public health authorities may publish additional guidance specific to your country or region. Refer to those sources for decisions about your own situation.

Hantavirus prevention focuses on rodent control: seal entry points, store food in rodent-proof containers, ventilate enclosed spaces 30 minutes before entering, and wet-clean rodent droppings instead of sweeping (CDC). For Andes virus specifically, the WHO recommends standard droplet precautions in healthcare settings.

Hantavirus prevention starts with rodent control

CDC hantavirus prevention guidance starts from a single observation: most human hantavirus infections follow inhalation of aerosolized particles from rodent excreta in enclosed spaces. The most effective hantavirus prevention is rodent control around homes, sheds, cabins, and any other enclosed space humans use.

Rodent control checklist for the home (CDC)

Seal holes and gaps in walls, foundations, and around utility entry points.
Store food (including pet food and birdseed) in rodent-proof containers.
Empty rubbish regularly. Keep rubbish bins sealed and away from the building.
Reduce nesting habitat: clear brush, woodpiles, and dense vegetation near the building.
Use snap traps where appropriate, and follow CDC guidance for handling captured rodents.

Cleaning a space with rodent activity: ventilate first, wet-clean second

The CDC's published procedure for cleaning spaces with rodent activity: ventilate the space for at least 30 minutes before entering, avoid sweeping or vacuuming dry material (both create hantavirus-aerosols), wet contaminated surfaces with a disinfectant before wiping, double-bag any waste, and wash hands afterwards. Surfaces with visible droppings should be soaked, not dusted.

Outdoor exposure: avoid enclosed spaces with rodents

Travelers and residents in hantavirus-endemic areas reduce risk by avoiding sleeping or storing food in cabins, sheds, or other enclosed spaces with rodent activity. Tents pitched in well-ventilated open ground present lower hantavirus risk than long-closed indoor spaces. The MV Hondius cluster passengers were exposed to Andes virus before boarding the ship in Argentina, where the long-tailed pygmy rice rat is endemic.

Andes virus person-to-person prevention: close-contact precautions

Andes virus is the one hantavirus with documented person-to-person transmission. The WHO describes Andes virus secondary spread as requiring close, sustained contact, typical of household members or healthcare workers without personal protective equipment. Standard infection control in healthcare settings, including droplet precautions when patients have respiratory symptoms, is the established approach for ANDV (ECDC, 6 May 2026).

No hantavirus vaccine and no specific HPS antiviral as of May 2026

As of May 2026, no hantavirus vaccine is licensed in most countries for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), and no specific antiviral is established for HPS treatment. Ribavirin has shown benefit for certain HFRS strains in Asia but is not established for HPS. HPS care is supportive: oxygen, careful fluid management, and intensive care for severe cases.

Sources

CDC: About Hantavirus (public domain).
CDC: About Andes Virus (public domain).
ECDC: Hantavirus cluster on a cruise ship — assessment and recommendations.