Describe the Issue or Situation.  All clients have rodents in their house, barn or other areas where they live.

Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).  Great response as most of the participants did not know how serious rat drippings and urine were.

Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience. 100 people were involved including farmers, senior citizens and general public.

Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.  By a show of hand only 2 people were aware of the Hantaviruse and the others only knew about the virus they had heard from the press..  All had seen rat drippings in and around their house.

Hantavirus Disease

                Our farmers, homemakers and the public deal with rat drippings often in their home. However, many of these people had never heard of the hantavirus until the news because they were involved with the danger of the disease. Since this is a rare disease, people were not aware of the danger of rat urine or drippings. The urine and drippings can be dangerous to humans as it can carry bacteria and viruses that cause the disease Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

                More than 100 people participated in three classes on the serious disease caused by inhaling airborne particles from rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials. Only 2 people had heard of the disease before the attention given by the press. The others were not aware and had never heard of the disease; all the people in attendance had seen rats dripping in their homes at various times. They were also concerned about how to get rid of the mice.

                The people in attendance were made aware of how important it is to avoid contact with rat urine and droppings. Wearing a mask, gloves, and washing hands often were the main points given when cleaning areas where rats may have been stressed. Washing off the tops of canned goods and drinks was also emphasized as you never know where mice may have been before you purchased the product. Also, a person can become infected with the virus by breathing in the contaminated air where the mice may have been.