What is Hantavirus?

U.S. health officials say they are closely following the situation. “Our top priority remains the health and safety of all U.S. passengers,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on May 6.

This is the second time in roughly a year that hantavirus has been in the news. Last year, officials in New Mexico confirmed that Betsy Arakawa, an accomplished musician and the wife of Gene Hackman, died at age 65 from complications of hantavirus.

Symptoms can turn serious

According to the CDC, hantaviruses can infect and cause serious disease in people worldwide. In the U.S., 890 cases of hantavirus disease were reported from 1993 to 2023; the vast majority occurred in the western and southwestern parts of the country.

Hantavirus found in the U.S. can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease that affects the lungs and is often caused by inhaling particles from infected mouse droppings.

Its early symptoms can be flu-like, with muscle aches, fever and fatigue. Some report headaches, dizziness, chills and abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. 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,” says Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey. “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.” 

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. and is primarily seen in Asia and Europe.

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. According to the Cleveland Clinic, up to 40 percent of all hantavirus cases are fatal.

To reduce risk, don’t vacuum mouse droppings

Public health experts say awareness is key to preventing hantavirus and that people should avoid contact with rodent urine, droppings, saliva and nesting materials.

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-footed mouse, cotton rat and rice rat.

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.