Hantavirus is a virus family that can cause critical disease and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The infections caused by hantavirus are usually spread by rats or mice and the infections are not contagious from person to person. People are especially at risk of contracting hantavirus if they are exposed to rat or mouse saliva, droppings or urine.
Diseases
The main diseases hantavirus can cause include:
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which is a critical disease that involves the lungs but can also cause symptoms in other areas of the body. Symptoms can include:
- Muscle aches
- Fever and chills
- Fatigue
- Abdominal symptoms (pain, diarrhea, vomiting or nausea)
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing
It is notable that almost 40% of people with respiratory symptoms from HPS die, according to the CDC.
- Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), which is a critical disease that involves the kidneys. Symptoms, which can take up to two months after exposure to appear, can include:
- Blurry vision
- Nausea
- Fever and chills
- Abdominal and back pain
- Severe headaches
- Low blood pressure
- Shock
- Internal bleeding
- Kidney failure
While fewer people with HFRS die compared to people with HPS, it can take many weeks or months to recover from HFRS.
How Can I Lower My Risk?
You can lower your risk of contracting a hantavirus infection by:
- Sealing gaps and holes in your home or garage so that mice and rats will not enter
- Placing mousetraps in and outside your home
- Making sure no food is laying out, since this can attract mice and rats
Diagnosis and Treatment
If you have hantavirus symptoms, your medical provider will ask you if you have been exposed to mice or rats and then order laboratory tests to determine if you have a hantavirus disease. Your provider will likely also test you for the flu since many symptoms of hantavirus diseases can mimic flu symptoms.
Treatment for hantavirus diseases is supportive, since they are caused by viruses. Patients can have symptoms treated, drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest.
Patients who have trouble breathing may need to be hospitalized to receive breathing treatments or intubation, which is a procedure where a tube is placed from the mouth to the lungs to help deliver oxygen. Patients with kidney failure may require dialysis to maintain the body’s fluid balance and remove waste from the blood.
UofL Health Can Help
If you have hantavirus symptoms, you can call UofL Physicians – Primary Care at 502-588-4343 to make an appointment with a primary care provider. If you have moderate to severe symptoms, you can visit your nearest UofL Health – Urgent Care Plus location.
UofL Health offers Kentucky’s most comprehensive care for all lung conditions. Call UofL Physicians – Pulmonary Associates in Shelbyville at 502-647-4154 or UofL Physicians – Pulmonology in Louisville at 502-588-4710 to schedule an appointment.
