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Hantavirus. The virus known as hantavirus is spread from rodents to people. Serious kidney or lung infections, accompanied by abdominal pain and occasionally renal failure, can be brought on by the virus. Symptoms include coughing and dyspnea.

Hantavirus

Hantavirus

An infection known as a hantavirus is detected in the urine, saliva, or feces of deer mice and some other wild rodents that are infected (cotton rats, southeastern United States oryzomys, white-footed mice, and red-backed voles). Boreal Red). Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare but dangerous lung disease that it causes. Once detached from their host, hantaviruses have a very short half-life (less than a week or a few hours in direct sunlight).

 

Appearance of hantavirus

The first reports of hantaviruses were made in Canada in 1994. At least three additional cases, the first of which happened in 1989, were found to have occurred before 1994 when researchers examined other earlier cases. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (as of January 2015), there have been 27 reported deaths and 109 confirmed cases of Hantavirus infections in Canada since 1989.

 

Virus symptoms

Exposure to rodents carrying the hantavirus or to their excrement can spread the virus.

It frequently starts with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and occasionally abdominal or chest pain. Cough, shortness of breath, kidney issues, chills, and other symptoms may then follow.

Transmission of viruses

Worldwide, hantaviruses infect a variety of rodent species. Rodents' urine and feces contain the virus. People can contract the infection by coming into contact with rodents, their urine, feces, or saliva. They can also inhale part of the virus in areas where there are a lot of rodent droppings. According to certain data, the virus rarely spreads from person to person.

Hantavirus infection diagnosis

People who have been exposed to the virus may have a hantavirus infection if they exhibit certain symptoms. The diagnosis can be verified by blood tests to identify the type of virus.

Additional blood tests are performed by doctors to assess kidney and organ function

If pulmonary syndrome is suspected, a chest x-ray may be taken. Usually, an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) is performed to rule out other possible reasons for the fluid surrounding the lungs.

If the kidneys are affected, dialysis may be required; if the lungs are affected, oxygen and medication are used to stabilize blood pressure.

Treatment for hantavirus

There is currently no known vaccine, treatment, or cure for hantavirus infections, which can be fatal. The goal of treatment is to lessen the patient's discomfort.

Recovery for patients can be aided by early identification and treatment in an intensive care unit. Patients infected with hantavirus may be prescribed oxygen therapy (using oxygen for therapeutic purposes) in addition to medications to treat fever and pain.