Which group of workers is at increased risk for hantavirus exposure?

Laboratory animal workers are at increased risk for hantavirus exposure due to their frequent contact with rodents, particularly when handling infected animals or their waste. Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents, and laboratory workers may be exposed during routine animal handling or cage cleaning activities.

In laboratory settings where rodents are housed for research purposes, the risk is heightened if proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of personal protective equipment and decontamination protocols, are not strictly followed. These workers may also be aware of the potential exposure risks related to zoonotic diseases, and thus are generally trained to recognize and mitigate these risks.

The other groups listed, while they may have exposure to various hazards, do not have the same level of direct exposure to rodents and their associated pathogens as laboratory animal workers do.