Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

Hantavirus pulmonarydefine syndrome (HPS) is a rare but deadly infection which is caused by hantaviruses. It is most often transmitted by exposure to the droppings, salivadefine and urine of some rodents. Any person who breathe infected air or come into contact with rodents or their urine or droppings can get the disease.

What are the symptons of HPS?

In the initial phase of disease a person may experience fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups-thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. These symptoms are universal. Nearly half of the HPS patients experience headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal paindefine.

Within a few days these symptoms worse and include coughing and shortness of breath. After people become short of breath, they may die within hours. Most deaths caused by HPS occur within a day or 2 of when severe shortness of breath first began.

Some of the uncommon symptoms of HPS include earache, sore throat, runny nose, and rash.

Can one get Hantavirus from person-to-person contact?

No cases of person-to-person spread have been ever reported in United States. The type of HPS that causes disease cannot be transmitted by touching, kissing, sharing meals with an infected HPS patient.

The only way you can get HPS infection is by coming into contact with rodents that carry hantavirus. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure. Even healthy individuals are at risk for HPS infection if exposed to the virus.

How is HPS diagnosed?

HPS can be diagnosed by a careful medical history, physical examination, and other tests like a complete blood count and oxygen saturation test. These tests may provide helpful information in the early stages of HPS or when there are breathing problems caused by HPS.

How Do I Prevent HPS?

Keep area around your home clean. Avoid or minimize contact with rodents. Keeping a clean home diminishes the chance of contracting hantavirus. This includes clearing out potential nesting sites and maintaining a clean kitchen. Clean up any easy-to-get food. Seal up holes and gaps in your home or garage. Place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation.

If you are going for hiking and camping, try to pitch tents or sleeping bags in areas without rodent droppings. Avoid rodent dens, drink disinfected water, and sleep on a ground cover and pad.

Previous research showed that many people who became ill with HPS developed the disease after having been in frequent contact with rodents and/or their droppings around a home or a workplace. While some of the other infected people reported of not seeing rodents or rodent droppings at all. Therefore, if you live in an area where the carrier rodents are known to live, try to keep your home, vacation place, workplace, or campsite clean.