Concerns are growing over the potential for a hantavirus outbreak in Birmingham as bin worker strikes continue. Originating from mice and rats, the virus was also responsible for killing the wife of actor Gene Hackman.
Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist who was married to the Oscar winner for over 30 years, was found dead in the couple’s New Mexico home in February. An investigation found while Hackman died of heart disease, Arakawa had contracted hantavirus, a rare respiratory illness spread through exposure to, and typically inhalation of, rodent droppings. Now, there are new fears that hantavirus or similar diseases could break out in Birmingham, where bin strikes have seen streets littered with about 17,000 tonnes of rubbish and a “banquet” of rats.
Workers have been striking for weeks after Birmingham City Council announced plans to cut jobs and pay in an effort to tighten its finances.
As a result, experts have warned the issue could have given rat-transmitted diseases the “opportunity to thrive”, while rat infestations now being seen pose a “huge public health danger”, MailOnline reported.
Grahame Turner, technical manager at the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA), told The Standard: “This is a huge public health danger, and what we’re seeing in Birmingham is incredibly concerning.
“Once rodents arrive to feast on your overflowing bins, there is a risk that they will explore other parts of the location, seeking warmth, shelter, and more food.
“They can also cause serious structural damage by chewing through electrical wiring, insulation and even plumbing, creating fire hazards and costly repairs.”
Professor Malcolm Bennett, a zoonotic and emerging disease expert at the University of Nottingham, said experts are concerned about both hantavirus and Weil's disease, which is also spread by rodents and can be deadly.
He said: "In the short term this risk would be particularly for those who either have to deal with this waste or, for example, sleep rough and so have more contact with rats".
"Whereas in the longer term, it could lead to a larger and more infected and infectious rat population that once the rubbish piles are cleared, will have to go somewhere."
UK Health Security Agency guidance states “all rodents” can carry bacteria and viruses which cause infections in people.
It warns there is “no vaccine” for any of the conditions caused by rodent bites and while some infections can be treated with antibiotics, there are no specific drugs to treat hantavirus.
On hantavirus, the agency states: “Hantavirus infections in particular can result from breathing in the virus. This can happen when rodent urine and droppings that contain hantavirus are stirred up into the air.
“People can also become infected when they touch mouse or rat urine, droppings, saliva or bedding materials that contain the virus and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. Infection can also occur if contaminated food and drink are consumed.”
Infection with the virus can cause a disease characterised by fever, headache, gastrointestinal problems and kidney problems, while more severe forms can result in bleeding from internal organs and the skin.
However, official guidance states “it is likely” most infections are mild, or cause “no clinical disease in people at all”.
It is recommended to clean any pet rodent cages in a well-ventilated area or outside and use a suitable face mask and gloves when cleaning animal housing.
Hantavirus was first identified in South Korea in 1978 when researchers were able to isolate the virus from a field mouse.
Fewer than 50 cases are reported annually in the US, while in the UK most cases are linked to specific exposures, often among those who keep rodents.
What is hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses normally carried by rodents, such as rats and mice, which cause a range of illnesses in humans from mild, flu-like symptoms to severe respiratory illness.
Is hantavirus in the UK?
Yes, hantavirus is present in the UK, though it is not widespread and most cases are relatively mild.
