The California Department of Public Health is warning residents about the dangers of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. A man who lives in Northern California was recently diagnosed with the illness. This is a potentially fatal illness that is spread by rodents, particularly deer mice. The virus is in their urine, droppings, and saliva. If a person breathes in small particles of mouse urine or droppings that have been stirred up into the air, they can contract the illness. The virus lodges in the lungs and destroy capillaries, which causes the lungs to fill with fluid. Symptoms of hantavirus begin with headache, fever, and muscle aches. The patient may develop vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pains. After a few days, a cough may develop, along with low blood pressure and heart … [Read more...]