Abstract
In 1993, a previously unrecognized hantavirus was identified as the causative agent of a severe respiratory disease, subsequently named hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Rodents shed hantaviruses in their saliva, urine, and feces, and humans can become infected after inhaling either aerosolized droplets of urine or particulates contaminated with rodent excreta. Because archaeological excavations frequently disturb rodents and their nests, field crews may be at increased risk for HPS. Activities that could expose archaeologists and other field specialists to the newly recognized hantavirus are discussed, and guidelines for reducing the risk of exposure are presented.
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