Internet Hoaxes, Myths, and Urban Legends

Denise Radaker

Utilities Elective 2

SLM 521

I chose to take a look at the CDC site for any myths I had read recently on my emails and such. I found one very interesting, having received it from my father. We recently had a mouse problem in our house after a large commercial building was razed after sitting empty for years across the street. The entire neighborhood has kept the ‘Critter Control’ company very busy since then. I received the email about a storeroom clerk dying from the Hantavirus after drinking a soda without washing the top of the can. The can was supposedly covered in mouse/rodent urine that carries the virus. The CDC site did have an article about this Internet report circulating. They claim that they could not find evidence to support such claims and that the report was causing more alarm than necessary.

I was disappointed because I have found that in the last few weeks after being in our over the garage storage - looking for pool items, baby clothes, and the crib parts, my husband and son have been sick. When we were in the storage area, I found droppings from the mice that had found a home for the winter. They have both developed symptoms similar to those given on the CDC site, causing me serious concern for their health. I was glad to learn, however, that there is a fairly simple solution with bleach to kill the virus as well as sunlight. I have now learned to wear a mask when entering the storage area as the virus is an ‘air-borne’ virus and simply inhaling the air born particles can cause the illness. I caution anyone with a ‘friendly winter mouse’ problem. We have eliminated the problem in the house, now on to the storage area.

Last lesson, the CDC takes a very cautious view about rumors, but then provides links to the real information.