Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

• Context (IE): The wife of Oscar winner actor died from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

About Hanta Pulmonary Syndrome

• Hantavirus: A family of rodent-borne viruses that can cause serious illness and death in humans.
  • HPS is endemic to the Western Hemisphere.
• Transmission: Infected rodents spread the viruses through their urine, faeces, and saliva.
  • They do not typically transmit from person to person, although rare cases of human-to-human transmission have been reported with certain strains, such as the Andes virus.
• Types: There are different types of hantavirus depending on the region, and each hantavirus is specific to a different rodent host.
  • The most common HPS-causing hantavirus is carried by the deer mouse.
  • Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is another group of illnesses caused by hantaviruses found primarily in Europe and Asia.
• Population at Risk: People who live or work in areas where rodent populations are more. E.g., farmers, construction workers, those involved in cleaning old or unused spaces etc.
• Symptoms:
  • Early Stage: Flu-like symptoms i.e., fever, chill, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain etc.
  • Advance Stage: Shortness of breath and a tightness in chest as the lungs fill with fluid.
• Mortality: 38 % of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.
• Treatment: There is no known cure or treatment for HPS.