Hantavirus

Hantavirus

 

Hantavirus causes the hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome which was first reported in the U.S. in 1993.

Epidemiology

  • Incidence – <50 cases/year in U.S.
  • Gender – M>F
  • Transmission – infected aerosols from rodents

Organism

  • Hantavirus is the only member of the Bunyaviridae family that is not arthropod-transmitted.
  • Identified as the causative agent in hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the 1930s
  • Sin Nombre, Bayou, Black Creek Canal and New York strains of Hantavirus, as well as their Sigmodontine rodent reservoirs, have been identified as definitive causes of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the U.S. and Central and South America

Clinical Presentation

  • Infection begins with the inhalation of excreta from rodents harboring the virus
  • After incubation of 1-2 weeks the patient develops fever, myalgia, headache, chills, abdominal pain and a nonproductive cough
  • Rapid development of dyspnea and pulmonary edema; diffuse infiltrates on chest X-ray
  • Thrombocytopenia is common
  • If hospitalization does not occur, hypotension and shock may follow, resulting in death within 3-6 days

Diagnosis

  • Indications for testing
    • Consider diagnosis in thrombocytopenic patients with febrile illness
  • Laboratory testing
    • IgM, IgG by ELISA testing

Treatment

  • Care is supportive; no known treatment

See Also