Aspens, the arboreal icon of the Mountain West, have been dying off in recent years.  The decline, which has been more pronounced in the Southern Rockies than here in the north, is though to be due to climate change, in particular a string of dry, warm winters in the early 2000’s.

A recent study has now shown that a deadly strain of hantavirus, known as “sin nombre virus” is much more prevalent in areas of dead aspen stands.  Strains of hantavirus are carried by deer mice, which thrive around downed aspen.

Researchers suggested that this is an example of “the unintended consequences of climate change,” in this case potentially affecting human health.

Hantavirus can cause severe lung infections, sometimes resulting in death.  However, it seems that a massive exposure to hantavirus, which is inhaled though exposure to deer mouse excrement, urine or saliva, is required in order to become infected.  The virus has a fatality rate of around 40 percent, but infections are still rare, with between 20 to 40 cases reported annually in the United States.

Nonetheless, a stand of dead aspens may not be the wisest place for a romp with the kids. -TR

LINK(S):

New York Times Green Blog article

U.S. Centers for Disease Control Hantavirus Information Page