Hantavirus has been in the news lately due to an outbreak on a cruise ship that sickened a number of passengers with this potentially deadly respiratory virus. You don’t have to set sail to accidentally come into contact with hantavirus, however, as this illness is spread primarily through exposure to mouse and other rodent droppings—a vector classic car fans often come into contact with, in two specific instances.
The first is long-term storage. Putting a vehicle away for a winter or tucking a project in a garage for a few years while you track down parts and clear the time needed to get to work are common scenarios for old car owners. They’re also an open invitation for vermin to sneak in and set up shop, chewing wiring, packing nooks and crannies with leaves and detritus to make nests, and generally treating cars like toilets. Then there’s parts hunting itself, a practice that for some involves prowling through mouse-ridden scrapyards in search of elusive components that aren’t available off the shelf.
In each of the above scenarios, the chances of disturbing a rodent’s nest are high, which can expose you to hantavirus. Breathing in nest particles containing mouse droppings presents a serious risk, but even touching these nests can cause infection.
Luckily, you can easily protect yourself by wearing a respirator and gloves while cleaning out the mouse condo in your classic, or when you’re combing through an old car that’s been sitting in a field for decades. Remember to wash down any potentially contaminated surfaces with bleach afterward, too, and avoid using a vacuum to keep from spreading particles of mouse doodoo throughout your garage or storage space.