What is hantavirus?

From the Guidelines

Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly virus transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, particularly their urine, droppings, or saliva. It causes two main illnesses: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in the Americas and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in Europe and Asia. Early symptoms resemble the flu, including fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and headaches, but HPS can rapidly progress to severe breathing difficulties as the lungs fill with fluid. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for hantavirus infections; medical care focuses on supporting respiratory function and maintaining blood pressure. Prevention is crucial and involves avoiding contact with rodents, properly cleaning rodent-infested areas using disinfectants and protective equipment, and eliminating rodent entry points in homes, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1.

Key Points

• Hantavirus is carried by the New World rats and mice, family Muridae, subfamily Sigmodontinae, which are widespread in North and South America 1.
• The virus cannot spread from person to person in most cases, making environmental control the key to prevention.
• Early medical attention is essential if exposure to rodents is followed by flu-like symptoms, as prompt supportive care significantly improves survival chances.
• Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy in preventing hantavirus infection, and the interior and exterior of the home should be carefully inspected at least twice per year for any openings where rodents could enter the home and for conditions that could support rodent activity 1.

Prevention Measures

• Avoiding contact with rodents
• Properly cleaning rodent-infested areas using disinfectants and protective equipment
• Eliminating rodent entry points in homes
• Inspecting the home regularly for signs of rodent infestation, such as nests, feces, or gnawing on food or other objects 1.

Medical Care

• Supporting respiratory function
• Maintaining blood pressure
• Prompt supportive care significantly improves survival chances if initiated early after exposure to rodents and onset of flu-like symptoms 1.

From the Research

Definition and Characteristics of Hantavirus

• Hantaviruses are enveloped single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses that belong to the family Bunyaviridae 2.
• They are widely distributed and maintained in populations of specific insectivores or rodent host species (mice or rats) 2, 3.
• In their natural host, hantaviruses develop persistent and asymptomatic infections with lifelong virus shedding in excreta 2, 3.

Transmission and Geographic Distribution

• Transmission to humans occurs via direct contact with faeces, urine and saliva of infected rodents, in particular by inhaling virus contaminated aerosol 2, 4.
• There are a variety of virus types that occur in different geographic areas, dependent on the natural distribution of the host 2.
• Hantaviruses are distributed worldwide, with over 150,000 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) registered annually 3.

Clinical Manifestations

• Hantaviruses cause two acute febrile diseases in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) 2, 5, 3, 6.
• HFRS is characterized by kidney failure, fever, myalgia, headache, and gastrointestinal disorders 2, 5.
• HPS is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome, with high mortality rates 5, 4, 6.
• The mortality rate varies from 0.1% to 40% depending on the virus involved 3.

Treatment and Prevention

• Treatment of hantavirus infections is mainly supportive and involves intensive medical care 2, 5, 4.
• A specific antiviral therapy with ribavirin has been shown to be successful for treatment of HFRS patients in the early stage of disease 2.
• There is no licensed vaccine applicable for the prevention of hantavirus diseases, and anti-infectious measures are regarded as the most effective strategy to prevent illnesses due to these emerging RNA viruses 2, 5.