PEEC to host hantavirus public program at Los Alamos Nature Center

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center will host a free public program titled Hantaviruses: From New Mexico’s Four Corners to the World from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, in the Planetarium at the Los Alamos Nature Center located at 2600 Canyon Road.

Public Can Register for Hantavirus Educational Sessions

Organizers are offering the educational session both in-person and virtually to help the public understand hantaviruses, how they spread, and safety measures. Attendees can register for the program through the organization’s website at peecnature.org/events.

History Of Sin Nombre Virus In New Mexico

New Mexico holds a unique place in hantavirus history as the location where the first hantavirus recognized in North America, the Sin Nombre virus, was identified in the Four Corners region during the 1990s. Carried by the native deer mouse, scientifically known as Peromyscus maniculatus, the virus can cause a severe and often fatal disease for which no specific treatment exists.

Transmission Routes And Exposure Risks

Infection happens when individuals inhale virus-containing particles originating from rodent urine or droppings, particularly within enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces. The presentation will cover practical steps for safely approaching and cleaning areas where deer mice might be present, alongside symptoms to watch for following potential exposure.

University Of New Mexico Research And Paraguay Case Study

Lizzie Clarke, a virologist and immunologist at the University of New Mexico, will lead the presentation. Originally from the Northwest of England, Clarke moved to New Mexico 12 years ago for graduate school and focused her PhD work on emerging viruses, capturing and isolating hantavirus from rodents across the state. The program will conclude with a case study detailing the recent discovery of a new hantavirus species in Paraguay following the accidental infection of members of a UNM paleontology field crew.