Hantavirus / Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)

Hantavirus

Hantavirus is a single-strand negative-sense RNA virus that belonged to the Hantaviridae family order Bunyavirales. Hantavirus is an enveloped virus transmitted by rats and mice(rodents) saliva, fecal matter and urine to human .

It has been found that two types of diseases are often transmitted to human hantavirus hemorrhagic fever, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hantavirus name referred to the Hantan river area in South Korea where associated early happening was discovered.

Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome ( Korean hemorrhagic fever) :

Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome caused by Hantaan  

virus that appeared in eastern Asia, Puumala virus that appeared in western Europe, and western Russia, Dobrava virus that appeared in the Balkans, Saaremaa that appeared in central Europe and Scandinavia and Seoul virus appeared in the whole world .

 Its symptoms take from one to eight weeks to appear and appear suddenly including strong headache, fever, nausea, back and abdominal pain, blurred vision, and chill. In some cases, flushing of the face and reddens of the eye occur.

Rodents act as a carrier for this disease and transmission from man to man seldom happened.

The case fatality rate of Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome:

According to causative agent .It ranges from 1% to 15 % in  case of the Hantaan virus and below 1% in case of the Puumala virus.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome:

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or HPS appeared in North, Central and South America. Preliminary symptoms are similar to several diseases. These symptoms include muscle  ache, fatigue, and fever but then it causes cough, chest pain associated with severe pulmonary disease and accumulation of fluid in the lung. Hantavirus   pulmonary  syndrome caused a pandemic in 1993 in the Four Corners region of the Southwestern USA. In 2012 another outbreak occurred at Yosemite NationalPark because of  kind of mice known as deer mice. The case fatality rate of this type is about 38%.

Hantavirus transmission:

Hantavirus isn't a contagious disease. It transmits only by rodent and doesn't transmit from man to man . The previous outbreaks associated with rodent infestation.

Pets ( dogs and cats ) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome:

Pets can't transmit hantavirus. Infection transmits only by certain kinds of rodent however pets will cause infection if they catch rodents and get them into the house.

Treatment and vaccination of Hantavirus :

At the beginning of the disease, it will be difficult to be recognized because  HPS symptoms are similar to other diseases like influenza. In the late stage, the patient will be compelled to enter the intensive care unit to get oxygen therapy .Until now, there's not any vaccine for hantavirus diseases.

Prevention and control of Hantavirus:

By controlling of carrier and reservoir (rodent) 
Continuous cleaning of closed places and buildings. 

Campers and hikers ought to beware and avoid contacting urine, fecal matter and saliva of rodents. Many people who have contracted with HPS reported that they had not seen rodents or their fecal matter before becoming sick. Therefore, if you live in a region wherever the carrier rodents, like the deer mouse, are familiar to live, take high precautions,even if you don't see rodents or their fecal matter.

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