> You sure you want to know?

Yep. :-)

> Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a disease caused by an airborne infectious agent found in rodent saliva, urine, and droppings. It causes acute respiratory distress, where a person's lungs are filled with plasma and he basically drowns in his own fluids. In the FAQ on the www.hantavirus.net site, the answer to the question "Can HPS be fatal?" is "Absolutely. Untreated cases of HPS are almost always fatal."

Well, the clause "untreated" indicates to me that there IS some sort of treatment available-- that makes me feel better, anyway.

> Oh, joy. This is a modern day version of the bubonic plague all over again. *slight sarcasm* You should see the zero-tolerance CDC recommendations for handling mouse infestations:
>
>
> Q: HOW DO I clean where mice have fed, nested, or left droppings?
>
> A: (deleted for space)

Sounds pretty typical. Where health is concerned, EVERYTHING is treated with as much caution as humanly possible. They're only a step away from having you burn the person who does the cleanup as step 13...

Don "A little more concerned now, but not much" Monkey