Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, also termed hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, is a severe respiratory illness caused by hantavirus infection, characterized principally by microvascular leakage and acute respiratory distress syndrome ^[1]. It is caused mainly by New World hantaviruses in the Americas, with Sin Nombre and Andes viruses as the foremost agents ^[1].

Illness begins one to eight weeks after exposure and proceeds through three phases ^[1]. An initial phase brings flu-like signs including fever, myalgia, headache, dyspnea, and thrombocytopenia ^[1]. A cardiopulmonary phase follows with irregular or rapid heart rate, cardiogenic shock, and pulmonary capillary leakage that may cause respiratory failure, hypotension, and pleural fluid accumulation ^[1]. Recovery may require months, though breathing difficulty can persist for up to two years ^[1].

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), also called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), is a severe respiratory disease caused by hantavirus infection and is caused mainly by New World hantaviruses in the Americas ^[1]. In North America, Sin Nombre virus is the most common cause of HPS and is transmitted by the western deer mouse, while in South America, Andes virus is the most common cause and is transmitted mainly by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat ^[1]. Transmission occurs mainly through inhalation of aerosols containing rodent saliva, urine, or feces, but can also occur through contaminated food, bites, and scratches ^[1]. The disease has a case fatality rate of 30 to 60 percent, with Andes virus infection at about 40% and Sin Nombre virus at 30–35% ^[1].

1. 1 Wikipedia contributors. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome - Wikipedia [Internet]. Wikipedia. cited 2 Sept 2026. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus_pulmonary_syndrome
2. 2 Febbo J et al. Viral Pneumonias. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2024 Mar. PMID: 38280762. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2023.12.009. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38280762/
3. 3 Santini M et al. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Caused by Puumala Orthohantavirus-A Case Report and Literature Review. Microorganisms. 2023 Dec 12. PMID: 38138107. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11122963. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38138107/
4. 4 Febbo J et al. Viral Pneumonias. Radiol Clin North Am. 2022 May. PMID: 35534126. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2022.01.010. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35534126/
5. 5 Afzal S et al. Hantavirus: an overview and advancements in therapeutic approaches for infection. Front Microbiol. 2023. PMID: 37901807. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1233433. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37901807/