Hantavirus Treatment

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a rare disease that can be contracted by humans from rodents, specifically by inhaling dust contaminated by infected rodent droppings, urine or saliva. HPS manifests as a lung infection. First identified in the United States in 1993, the disease can be fatal to those who contract it.

Treatment

• HPS is an emerging disease. Scientists are studying it to determine effective treatments and diagnostic tools. Currently there are no known cures or specific treatments for the disease. More than half of people who contract HPS die. However, the CDC states that patients do better when treated at a hospital for their symptoms of respiratory distress in intensive care.

  Patients are typically put on a respirator to keep them breathing despite severe distress. The sooner a patient begins receiving medical care, the better the patient's chance of recovery. If the patient is experiencing more intense symptoms by the time treatment occurs, that patient has a lesser chance of recovery. An anti-virus drug, ribavirin, has been tried experimentally but is not considered a general treatment.

Prevention

• Since HPS is largely untreatable, prevention is key. Avoid contact with rodents and dust that could contain their droppings. Eliminate rodents in and around your home if at all possible. Seal holes in your home and garage, use mousetraps to decrease population and never leave food outside of sealed containers. When cleaning areas that could be contaminated, never stir up dust. Wet down the area with bleach or alcohol, wear gloves and disinfect them after use, and wear a dust mask. More detailed prevention tips are available on the CDC website (see References).

Symptoms

• Because early treatment is one of our only defenses against this disease, it is vital to recognize the symptoms as soon as possible. Due to a limited amounted of cases, exact incubation time is unknown but symptoms are believed to develop within one to five weeks of exposure.

  Early signs of a hantavirus infection are fatigue, high fever and deep muscle aches concentrated particularly in the large muscle groups like hips and back. Early symptoms may also include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, chills and headaches but only about half of sufferers have these additional symptoms.

  Later symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. The lungs are filling with fluid now. These symptoms may occur from four to ten days from initial onset of symptoms.