Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a viral disease that spreads through infected mice and rats. It can damage your organs and be fatal. Early symptoms are similar to the flu. As it spreads, it can cause a rapid heartbeat and trouble breathing. It usually requires treatment in the intensive care unit.
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Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a viral disease that people get after exposure to the spit, pee or poop of infected mice or rats. It initially causes flu-like symptoms. But it can quickly get worse. As it spreads and affects other areas of your body, it can cause serious illness and even death.
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Cases of hantavirus (pronounced “HAHN-tuh-vahy-ruhs”) pulmonary syndrome occur throughout the world. But overall, it’s rare. Between 1993 and 2022, there were 864 reported cases in the U.S.
If you have flu-like symptoms after being around rodent nests or poop, it’s important to get help right away. You may need treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU). Providers may give you oxygen therapy and IV fluids. They’ll also keep an eye on how well your heart, lungs and kidneys are working.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome symptoms usually start a few weeks after infection. During this phase, your symptoms may include:
As HPS gets worse, it may cause your lungs to fill with fluid (pulmonary edema) and internal bleeding. You may develop symptoms like:
Hantaviruses cause HPS. In North America, the only rodents that carry them are:
The most common way that hantaviruses spread is through breathing in air that contains contaminated rodent spit, pee or poop droplets. Hantaviruses can also spread through:
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HPS very rarely spreads from person to person. Experts have only observed human-to-human transmission through a hantavirus in Argentina and Chile.
Symptoms usually start about a week after the virus enters your body. But it may take as long as eight weeks.
In the U.S., HPS is more common in states west of the Mississippi River. You’re more likely to get it if you spend time around wild rodents. Mice and rats prefer rural environments — grassy or wooded areas with few buildings or people. But they may also make nests or forage in places like:
Once a hantavirus enters your body, it reproduces and spreads.
If it affects your lungs, it causes the blood vessels to weaken and leak. The air sacs in your lungs (alveoli) can fill with blood, which makes breathing difficult.
It can also damage your heart muscle and blood vessels. Weak, leaky blood vessels affect your heart’s ability to send blood and nutrients throughout your body. This can cause your body to go into cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock can quickly cause organ failure and death.
A healthcare provider will review your health history, ask about your symptoms and conduct a physical exam. If they suspect HPS, they may ask questions like:
They’ll diagnose HPS with a blood test. They’ll send your sample to a lab for analysis and look for hantavirus antibodies. They may also look for other signs like:
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is curable. But it often requires supportive treatments in the ICU. These may include:
With quick diagnosis and treatment, you should make a complete recovery a few weeks after starting treatment.
In mild HPS cases, you can help speed up your recovery by getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids.
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If you develop HPS symptoms after contact with wild rodents, it’s important to get treatment as soon as possible. HPS can get worse quickly. Call 911 or go to the nearest ER if your symptoms get worse and you have an accelerated heartbeat and trouble breathing.
HPS is fatal in about 4 out of every 10 people who get it. Without treatment, most deaths happen between 24 and 48 hours after it affects your heart or lungs.
With successful treatment, most people make a full recovery with no lasting effects.
With big eyes, velvet ears, pink noses and tiny paws, mice and rats may look cute. But wild rodents can carry diseases that can make you very sick.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome shares a lot of symptoms with more common illnesses, like the flu. But if you develop flu-like symptoms after being around rodent droppings or nests, get help immediately. Tell your healthcare providers when you first made contact with the rodents and where you were. The faster you get a diagnosis and treatment, the better your chance of making a full recovery.
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