Hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread primarily by rodents (mice, rats, voles) that can cause severe, potentially fatal respiratory or renal infections in humans, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). Transmission occurs through inhaling virus-contaminated air or contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva.

Key Details About Hantavirus

• Transmission: Humans get infected mainly by breathing in dust contaminated with rodent droppings or urine, or by touching these materials and then their eyes/nose. It is rarely transmitted between humans, though some strains, like the Andes virus, can be.
• Symptoms: Early symptoms (1-8 weeks after exposure) include fever, fatigue, and muscle aches (especially thighs, hips, and back). Late-stage symptoms include severe lung infections (HPS) with severe breathing difficulties.
• Fatality Rate: HPS is highly serious, with mortality rates around 50% in some outbreaks.
• Prevention: Primary prevention involves managing and preventing rodent infestations in homes, cabins, and workplaces.
• Diagnosis/Treatment: No specific treatment or vaccine exists; early detection and supportive care in an ICU are critical.

Common Misconceptions

• It's not just a "third-world" disease: Hantaviruses are found worldwide, and specific strains exist throughout the Americas and Eurasia.
• Not all rodents carry it: It is specific to certain species, such as deer mice in North America.
• It's not spread solely by bites: The vast majority of cases are caused by inhaling contaminated dust while cleaning, not by rodent bites.

The World Health Organization is keeping an eye on a Hantavirus epidemic on a cruise ship that has left over 140 passengers stranded and three people dead. The WHO reports that out of the 147 passengers and crew, seven have fallen ill, three of them have passed away, one is seriously ill, and three are experiencing minor symptoms.