Despite repeated visits by exterminators, brown mice have returned to the apartments at Harvard's Botanic Gardens housing complex near the Radcliffe Quad, according to residents.

"Last week, my wife faced one down in the kitchen and she killed him in the battle," says graduate students Jose Cabrera, adding that he has seen "three or four" mice in his apartment. "It seems like they're back."

Another resident, Patrick Hall, says he is concerned about possible a health hazard. In February, New York health officials traced the death of a Long Island college student to a virus known as hantavirus which is spread through mouse droppings.

Hall says he has removed piles and piles of mouse droppings from his apartment. One evening, he found mounds of mouse droppings in his oven and range top.

Assistant Vice President of Residential Housing Susan K. Keller acknowledges that Harvard Real Estate (HRE) has received "numerous" complaints about mice since the apartments--which house graduate, married and transfer students--were renovated in the fall.

HRE received the latest complaint on Thursday, Keller says. And several residents interviewed last week said the mice have reappeared.

But Keller insists that the mice do not present a health threat. "The situation is under control," she says.

Despite the monthly rent of $1,300 for a two-bedroom apartment, Keller says HRE does not plan to reimburse any of the Botanic Garden residents for the rodent problem.

"But of course there is no blanket policy," Keller said. "We take things on a case by case basis."

Dr. Larry Ludwick, the director of infectious diseases at Maimonides MedicalCenter in Brooklyn, said in an interview last weekthat mice can spread a variety of infections.

"We don't know enough to say there is no risk,"says Ludwick, who is familiar with the family ofhantaviruses present in the case of the LongIsland college student. "So we should limitcohabitation with the common house mouse."

Worst in Winter

Residents say the problem was at its worstduring the winter, when the mice apparently soughtshelter from the cold weather.

Hall says his run-ins with mice became sofrequent during the cold season that he and hisgirlfriend, graduate student Luciana De Olivera,taped up pieces of cardboard to cover all theirapartment's possible entrances and exits.

"But my girlfriend and I would hear themscratching at night against the cardboard," Hallsays.

Hall says the rodent problem has caused him andhis girlfriend to rethink staying another winterat the Botanic Gardens.