Symptoms of the Hantavirus

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hantavirus is a potentially fatal disease carried by rodents. Humans are at risk for hantavirus when they come into contact with infected rodents or their waste. Early universal symptoms of hantavirus include tiredness, fever and muscle pain.

Features

• Half of infected patients also suffer from headaches, dizziness chills and gastrointestinal issues. After 4 to 10 days of early symptoms, patients experience shortness of breath, coughing and a constricted feeling in the chest.

Considerations

• Other less common secondary symptoms of hantavirus include sore throat, earache, rash and runny nose.

Time Frame

• The incubation period of hantavirus is unknown. The CDC reports that symptoms may develop between one and five weeks after the patient is exposed.

Prevention/Solution

• Because hantavirus is carried by rodents, use extreme caution when cleaning any infested areas. Keep your house and campsites free of any easy-to-reach food, and set traps to guard against infestation.

Warning

• There is no vaccine, cure or definitive treatment for hantavirus. Should symptoms develop, patients need to be admitted to a hospital immediately, as the disease can sometimes be successfully treated during the first stage.