Which Jobs Increase Risk of HFRS and HPS Exposure?

Yes, working in construction can increase your risk of catching hantaviruses that cause Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) if your job involves disturbing dust in areas infested with rodents. HFRS is typically transmitted by inhaling aerosolized (airborne) virus particles from infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva ^[1][2]. Any job that frequently puts workers in contact with rodent habitats, particularly in enclosed or dusty spaces, carries a higher risk of exposure ^[3].

A Note on Geography: Hantaviruses are found worldwide, but the type of illness they cause depends on your location. HFRS is primarily caused by hantaviruses circulating in Europe and Asia ^[4]. In the Americas, hantaviruses more commonly cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory disease. Always check with local public health authorities to understand which viruses are circulating in your region.

When to Seek Urgent Care

If you develop a sudden, unexplained illness within 1 to 8 weeks after working in a rodent-infested environment, seek medical attention immediately. Tell your healthcare provider about your occupational exposure. Go to the emergency room if you experience:

• Sudden high fever, severe headache, and muscle aches (especially in the back or abdomen) ^[4].
• Markedly reduced urine output or bleeding symptoms (signs of HFRS) ^[5].
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or a severe cough (signs of HPS) ^[2].

Occupations at Increased Risk

The risk of contracting HFRS is less about the specific job title and more about the environment and the tasks being performed. Finding rodent droppings does not guarantee infection, but jobs with higher exposure to rodents include:

• Construction, Demolition, and Renovation: Workers who disturb dust in old buildings, crawl spaces, attics, or enclosed sites with rodent infestations are at risk of inhaling airborne particles ^[1][3].
• Farming and Agriculture: Agricultural workers have a high rate of exposure to field rodents. Cases may cluster around certain activities, like harvesting, when agricultural machinery stirs up dust and rodents are abundant ^[6][7].
• Forestry and Outdoor Workers: Working in forests or clearing land exposes workers to natural rodent habitats, increasing the likelihood of contact with infected animals or their waste ^[7].
• Military Personnel: Historically, large outbreaks of HFRS have occurred among soldiers. Activities like digging trenches, moving soil, and living in field camps often put military personnel in close contact with rodents ^[8][9].
• Pest Control and Utility Workers: Professionals who handle rodents directly or access undisturbed, enclosed spaces like utility tunnels face direct exposure to contaminated materials ^[2].

How Hantaviruses are Transmitted on the Job

• Inhalation: Breathing in microscopic particles of rodent urine, droppings, or saliva that have been stirred into the air (aerosolized) is the primary route of infection ^[1][2].
• Direct Contact & Bites: Touching contaminated materials and then touching your nose, mouth, or eyes can also cause infection. While rodent bites are a less common transmission route, they require immediate attention ^[3]. If bitten or scratched, immediately wash the wound with soap and water, report it to your employer, and seek medical assessment for infection, tetanus, and local rabies risk.
• Person-to-Person Spread: Hantaviruses that cause HFRS generally do not spread from person to person. Rare person-to-person transmission has only been reported for the Andes virus (which causes HPS in South America).

Prevention Tactics for High-Risk Environments

If your work puts you in potentially infested areas, you must take practical, layered steps to protect yourself. Note: If a space is heavily infested, structurally unsafe, or highly confined, do not attempt to clean it yourself. It should be assessed and remediated by trained professionals.

• Ventilate Before Entry: Before working in an enclosed space, open doors and windows from the outside if feasible, and leave the area to let fresh air circulate for at least 30 minutes ^[10]. Do not enter the space just to ventilate it.
• Use Wet Cleaning Methods: Never sweep or vacuum dry rodent droppings, as this launches viral particles into the air. Instead, thoroughly spray the area with a commercial disinfectant or a 10% bleach-to-water solution (never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners) ^[11]. Allow it to soak according to the product’s recommended contact time, then wipe up the wet materials while wearing disposable gloves and eye protection ^[11]. Always wash your hands afterward.
• Wear Proper Respiratory Protection: Standard cloth or surgical masks do not protect against aerosolized viruses. When working in dusty or infested spaces, use a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator (or a higher-level elastomeric half-mask) ^[12][10]. A respirator must form a tight seal to your face (facial hair will break this seal) and should be used as part of an official workplace respiratory protection program that includes medical clearance and fit-testing ^[12][10].
• Environmental Control: Work with site managers to eliminate food sources, manage waste, and seal entry points to prevent rodents from nesting on the job site ^[13][14].