Hantavirus infection is primarily contracted through contact with urine, faeces, or saliva of infected rodents or saliva of infected rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces. This is an indication rodents are important hantavirus reservoirs hence vital to control them.
Exposure occurs during activities such as cleaning buildings with rodent infestation, or during routine activities in heavily infested areas.
When doing rodents control ; the following baits phenomenon should be taken in consideration to avert failure :-
a] Bait Shyness-This is the refusal of rats to feed on the bait which was mixed with poison bait before and has felt pain.
b] Poison Shyness-This is when the rats feeds on poison bait and eats enough to be in pain but not to kill it. It refuses the same poison.
c] Token Baiting-This refers to baiting when there is shortage of food for rats and mice, the rats and mice will feed the bait earlier and more eagerly each day.
d] Pre-baiting-laying bait for a few days without poison until the rats are used to bait then poison is added.
e] Chronic baiting-feeding on poison in several days
f] Post baiting-baiting from night after pre-baiting to ascertain whether any rats or mice still infest[remained]
g] Acute bait-poison that kills fast.