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Hantavirus
Pulmonary Syndrome (hantavirus) What is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome? Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare disease caused by a virus (hantavirus). The first symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome are fever, muscle pain, and being tired. This happens 1 to 3 weeks after a person is exposed to hantavirus. Some people also get headaches, dizziness, vomiting, or diarrhea. After about 4 to 10 days, people who are sick with hantavirus infection begin to cough and have shortness of breath. If someone is sick with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and does not get help quickly, he or she may die. Can animals transmit hantavirus pulmonary syndrome to me? Yes, wild rodents can pass hantavirus to people. Several different types of wild mice and rats can be infected with hantavirus and pass it in their droppings, urine, or saliva. The common house mouse does not carry hantavirus. People can get hantavirus when they touch rodent urine, droppings, or places where these animals have nested. Dried droppings or urine can be stirred up in dust and breathed in by people. Hantavirus has not been shown to infect other kinds of animals, such as dogs, cats, or farm animals. How can I protect myself from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
How can I find out more about hantavirus pulmonary syndrome? Learn more about hantavirus pulmonary syndrome at CDC's hantavirus website, which includes questions and answers, prevention and control information, and more. |
This page last reviewed May 21, 2004 Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention US Department of Health and Human Services |