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Has the deadly hantavirus made the wilderness unsafe?

Explore the Q&A with CDC epidemiologist James Mills
Rodents carrying the hantavirus have been found in at least 20 U.S. National Parks, including Yellowstone, and epidemiologist James Mills believes infected rodent populations exist in all 50 states. While still a relatively small hazard, more than 100 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been identified in the United States since the mysterious deaths of 17 Americans in 1993 led to the virus' discovery. Is the disease, a cousin of the Ebola virus that killed hundreds in Africa earlier this year, a threat to campers and hikers in America's wildlands? (See article: "Warning: Killer Microbes Next 20 Miles")

Mills coordinates studies of the virus for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He joined us online to discuss the risks this disease poses to campers and hikers in our parks, and what the government is doing to prevent its spread.




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