Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Sin Nombre virus is the etiologic pathogen of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. In the U.S., this pathogen is carried by the deer mouse. The deer mouse is more prevalent than any other mammal in North America. The biology and behavior of the deer mouse is described. Disease surveillance is critical and is conducted by monitoring reservoir populations; early detection can help prevent the possible spread of disease to human populations. In San Diego County, annual surveillance has been conducted since 1994, with the percentage of positive deer mice ranging from 0% to 5.3%, with an average of 2.6% positive. Preventive measures to reduce human – hantavirus contact are recommended.