bitten

It can also be spread by touching contaminated objects and then touching your nose or mouth, getting bitten or scratched by an infected rodent or eating food contaminated with hantavirus, according to the CDC.

Individual teachers said they had been assaulted, bitten, spat on, had fireworks thrown at them and had their cars vandalised.

"It's sort of as the saying goes - once bitten, twice shy," she said.

Cory Kerewaro said his business was initially called to rescue "a bunch" of the reptiles after one was reported to have bitten a dog at the property.

She was bitten on the arm around 100m from shore, Australian media reports.