In which regions of the United States has hantavirus been found recently?

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Where in the United States has hantavirus been found recently?

Hantavirus (rodent-borne Orthohantaviruses causing HCPS) is currently documented across multiple U.S. regions, with recent detections and human cases in the Southwest, Rockies, Gulf Coast, Midwest/Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic states. 1, 2, 3

  • Foundation (geographic range of risk)

    • CDC guidance indicates nearly all of the continental U.S. lies within the range of rodent hosts (deer mouse, white-footed mouse, cotton rat, rice rat), so exposure risk spans most rural/suburban regions, classically prominent in the Southwest and extending broadly nationwide [4–4].

  • Most recent, highest-quality surveillance/reports (prioritized for decision-making on morbidity/mortality/QOL)

    • Wildlife surveillance (2014–2019; NEON, structured national dataset): seropositive rodents detected at 32 sites nationwide; highest seroprevalence in Virginia, Colorado, and Texas, confirming active circulation across Mid-Atlantic, Rocky Mountain, and South-Central regions 1.
    • Human cases/viral sequencing (2022–2023): Bayou virus HCPS confirmed in Louisiana, supporting ongoing Gulf Coast activity and wide in-state rodent distribution 2.
    • Human case (2021): Orthohantavirus infection in Michigan with rodent linkage, indicating current Great Lakes/Midwest transmission potential 3.

  • Practical regional answer (2020s evidence-weighted)

    • Southwest/Rockies: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada (classic high-risk areas; recent rodent seropositivity notable in Colorado) 1.
    • Gulf Coast: Louisiana (recent human HCPS; Bayou virus) and Texas (recent higher rodent seroprevalence) 2, 1.
    • Mid-Atlantic: Virginia (highest recent rodent seroprevalence) 1.
    • Midwest/Great Lakes: Michigan (recent human case) 3.

  • Caveats/pitfalls

    • Absence of reported cases does not equal absence of risk; host ranges cover most of the U.S., and spillover is sporadic. Maintain vigilance in rural/suburban settings with rodent exposure, especially deer mouse/white-footed mouse habitats [4–4].
    • Rodent seroprevalence is temporally variable; surges can follow rodent population booms—seasonal and year-to-year fluctuations occur 1.

  • Actionable takeaway for providers (to reduce mortality/HCPS severity)

    • Maintain high index of suspicion for HCPS in patients with febrile prodrome progressing to dyspnea/shock after rodent exposure in any of the above regions; early critical care can be lifesaving [4–4].

References

3
Research

Case of Human Orthohantavirus Infection, Michigan, USA, 2021.

Emerging infectious diseases, 2024

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