New Rodent Virus?

[Slynig]

Does anyone know if this rodent virus is anything to worry about. Here is a link to a Yahoo article about it: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/transplant_deaths
I feed my BP frozen rats and i did not know if either myself or my BP may be at risk to this virus.

[elevatethis]

Considering this quote from the article...

"The virus usually causes little or no illness in healthy people, but can be deadly for those with weak immune systems like cancer patients and transplant recipients, who take immune-suppressing drugs to keep them from rejecting their new organs."

...Unless you have a weakened immune system because of whatever reason, no, you don't have anything to worry about.

[Jeanne]

I would say it is most likely not "new", just recently a name was put to it. As far as risk, as long as you are not getting blood, organs or exposed to infected LIVE rodents there is no risk. I would not freak out about it just yet, it has only just been recognised too. Obviously, they are testing other animals, and until those results come back, there really is no way to be sure whats going on.

http://www.health.state.ri.us/media/050523b.php