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	DR. CHILDS: The conditions that attract rodents into our homes are things like the availability of water, readily available food such as grains or pet foods, ...
	...and also available shelter. Rodents will seek shelter in our homes to avoid harsh weather conditions like the cold.
	It can be hard to tell one mouse from another mouse and you cannot tell an infected mouse or rat from an uninfected mouse or rat.
	In the future we also expect that other Hantaviruses will be found associated with other rodents. So in dealing with rodents, it's best to deal with them as if they all may be infected and use suitable precautions.

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This page last reviewed February 28, 2000.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases
Special Pathogens Branch