Hantavirus Infection
Hantaviruses are a family of zoonotic viruses that can cause serious illness and death.
Rodents, including certain types of mice and rats, can carry hantaviruses. Hantaviruses spread through breathing in particles from rodent urine, feces, saliva, and dander from nests. People can become infected when they inhale this material.
Hantavirus infections in the U.S. are rare, with fewer than 30 reported cases each year. Most cases occur in the western U.S.
There are several strains of hantavirus known to affect humans.
The Andes virus is found in South America. Unlike most other hantaviruses, limited person-to-person spread of Andes virus has been documented, typically among close contacts.
Sin Nombre virus is the hantavirus strain most commonly associated with serious illness in the U.S. It spreads through exposure to infected deer mice. This species of mouse is uncommon in NYC.
Seoul virus is a hantavirus carried by rats that has been identified in rats in NYC. Human Seoul virus infections have not been identified in NYC and are very rare in the U.S.
Symptoms
Symptoms of hantavirus infection generally develop one to eight weeks after infection, with two to four weeks being most common. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, chills, muscle aches, and headaches.
Hantaviruses can cause complications such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which affects the lungs, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which affects the kidneys. The risk of these complications varies by the strain of hantavirus. HPS is more common with hantavirus infections in the Americas. HFRS is more common in Europe and Asia.
Symptoms of HPS appear four to ten days after illness onset and include cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms of HFRS usually occur within one to two weeks after exposure. Symptoms begin suddenly and include intense headache, back and abdominal pain, fever, chills, and nausea.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Hantavirus is diagnosed using a blood test, with confirmatory testing performed at specialized laboratories.
There is no specific treatment for hantavirus. People should receive supportive care, including rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms and complications. Respiratory care is provided for patients in severe respiratory distress.
The fatality rate from hantavirus varies by type of virus. HPS has a fatality rate of roughly 35% to 40%.
There have not been any reports of repeat cases of hantavirus. However, it is not known how long immunity lasts following infection. It is also not known whether infection with one virus protects against other similar viruses.
Prevention
Andes virus does not infect the species of rat and mouse present in NYC (Norway rat, house mouse). However, New Yorkers should never be living or working in a rodent-infested environment. The best way to prevent hantavirus is to control rodents both inside and outside the home.
Steps to prevent exposure to rodents include:
- Avoid feeding and attracting rodents by storing all garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Repair cracks or holes in buildings, sidewalks, and under doors so rodents cannot enter.
- Sanitize areas with rodent droppings by using a 10% bleach solution.
- Call a pest professional to safely treat for rodents.