Hantavirus

Most hantaviruses do not spread between people. The Andes virus can spread through close contact with a sick person, but this is uncommon. People are usually only able to spread the virus while they are sick.

Examples of close contact include:

• Kissing
• Sharing food or drinks
• Spending a long time in a small space with a sick person
• Touching body fluids or contaminated bedding

Symptoms can start 4 to 42 days after exposure.

Early symptoms include:

• Fever
• Tiredness
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Chills
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Later symptoms:

• Cough
• Trouble breathing
• Shortness of breath

Some hantavirus infections can lead to a serious lung illness called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS can make breathing difficult. Symptoms of HPS usually start to show 1 to 8 weeks after contact with an infected rodent.

Early symptoms can include:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes the shoulders

About half of all HPS patients also experience:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Chills
• Abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

4-10 days after the initial phase of illness, late symptoms of HPS appear. These symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. Patients may experience chest tightness as the lungs fill with fluid.

HPS can be deadly. Thirty-eight percent of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.

If you suspect hantavirus disease, see a physician immediately and mention a potential rodent exposure. HPS can become very serious very quickly. Early medical care is important.

• Giving fluids
• Helping patients breathe
• Providing hospital care if needed