Best practices
for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

Bites or scratches

• Rabies (mammal bites or scratches)
• West Nile virus (mosquito bites)
• Lyme disease (tick bites)
• Hantavirus (possible from rodent bite but uncommon)

Note: boldface type indicates a common way that people catch that disease.

Mammal bites or scratches:

• Get rabies pre-exposure vaccine and keep it current
• Wear animal handling gloves
• Use a restraining device such as a catchpole
• Capture animal in trap
• Avoid contact with animal mouth and saliva
• Shower soon after work, every day

Mosquito or tick bites:

• Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing (harder to bite and makes it easier to see small ticks)
• Use repellent
• Tuck pant legs into socks (keeps ticks from crawling onto legs)
• Check yourself for ticks at lunchtime; remove any you find

Breathe it in

• Histoplasmosis
• Hantavirus
• Canine distemper? (not definitively established)

• Wear a proper respirator, disposable clothing, goggles, gloves, and hood
• Ventilate area, if possible
• Dampen contaminated materials, wipe up with wet sponge
• Spray contaminated area or dead animals with disinfectant
• If possible, schedule job for cool, damp weather

Dirty* hands touch mouth, eyes, or nose

• Raccoon roundworm (mouth)
• Toxoplasmosis (mouth)
• Rabies (infected saliva gets into mouth, eyes, or nose)
• Hantavirus (mouth, eyes, or nose)

* Dirty means that the hand, glove, or object is contaminated with whatever causes that disease, such as a virus, bacterium, or a parasite's eggs. These agents are often microscopic.

• Wear a proper respirator, disposable clothing, rubber gloves
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before eating, drinking, or smoking
• Avoid contact between your hands and your face. Pay attention when you sneeze, eat, drink, smoke, adjust glasses or put in contacts, or take medication.

Disease gets into wound

• Rabies
• Hantavirus

• Protect wounds with bandages, if practical
• Wear gloves or clothing that covers wound
• Check wounds and keep them clean

Eat contaminated food or put dirty object into mouth

• Raccoon roundworm (dirty object)
• Toxoplasmosis (contaminated meat or dirty object)
• Hantavirus (may be possible via contaminated food or water)

• Wash your hands thoroughly after outdoor activities and especially before eating, drinking, or smoking

• See advice for customers on pgs. 4-19, 4-20, and 4-24

Handle infected animal or contaminated equipment

• Mange

• Wear gloves
• Minimize contact with mangy animal by using restraining devices
• Minimize contact with contaminated clothing, equipment
• Dry clothing at high heat to kill any mites on it