What is Hantavirus?

The rare infection can turn serious in some, and often, its symptoms are easy to overlook

Lauren Evoy Davis,

AARP

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Published March 10, 2025

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Officials in New Mexico confirmed that Betsy Arakawa, an accomplished musician and wife of Gene Hackman, died at the age of 65 from complications of hantavirus, a family of viruses carried by rodents like rats and mice. An infection, often acquired from inhaling airborne particles from droppings and urine, can cause serious illness and death in humans.

Hantavirus is more commonly found in western states like New Mexico, where Hackman and Arakawa lived, says Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey. In 2022, there were 864 reported hantavirus cases in the United States, and 122 of those were in New Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Early symptoms can turn severe

Hantavirus found in the U.S. can cause a disease known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which affects the lungs and is often a result of inhaling particles from infected mouse droppings. Its early symptoms can be flulike, with most experiencing muscle aches, fever and fatigue. Some report headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems. The CDC says late symptoms can appear four to 10 days after the initial symptoms start, and can include coughing and shortness of breath.

“The symptoms are very nonspecific initially, and then when they progress, it can take hold very quickly because you can not only have a significant decrease in breathing, but it may compromise your mental status and progress very quickly,” Saggar says.

In addition to breathing problems, infected individuals can also experience a sudden and severe drop in blood pressure, which can quickly lead to organ failure, according to the American Lung Association.

Hantavirus can also cause a disease known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which affects the kidneys, though this is less common in the U.S.

Ventilation may have played a role

Although hantavirus is rare, it can occur in poorly ventilated areas like shuttered homes and storage facilities. Arakawa’s cause of death was likely hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which, when left untreated, can make breathing very difficult.

“Basically [the pulmonary virus] causes the capillaries in the lungs to become leaky, and so you get fluid, and then, unfortunately, it has a high fatality rate,” Saggar says. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 40 percent of all hantavirus cases are fatal.

If caught in time, a person may be put on a breathing tube and given fluids for supportive care, but Saggar says there is no specific medication to treat this disease.

To reduce risk, don’t vacuum mouse droppings

If mice or rats are in or around your home, the CDC says it’s important to clean up after them safely to reduce your risk of contracting the virus.

Saggar says if you see mouse droppings in your home or work area, the best thing to do is use bleach and wipe it up. He cautions against vacuuming the droppings because that makes the virus airborne.

You can also get sick from a scratch or bite from an infected rodent. The most common carrier of hantavirus is the deer mouse. Less common carriers include the white-tailed mouse, cotton rat and rice rat. Notably, the virus cannot be passed from person to person.

Public health experts say awareness is key to preventing hantavirus and that people should avoid contact with rodent urine, droppings, saliva and nesting materials. For people 50 and older who are active, just know that when hiking trails, camping and doing anything outside, mice may be around, especially if you’re staying in a building that isn’t occupied by other people on a regular basis, Saggar adds.

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Lauren Evoy Davis is a contributing writer who has covered health and wellness for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in the National Council on Aging, Everyday Health, HealthCentral, Patient Power, WebMD and Verywell Health.