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Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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In this Article

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) facts
• What is hantavirus?
• What is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), and what are hantavirus pulmonary syndrome symptoms and signs?
• What is the history of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• What causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• How is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• What are risk factors for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• What are complications of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• What is the prognosis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• Can hantavirus pulmonary syndrome be prevented?
• Where can people get more information on hantavirus pulmonary syndrome?
• Find a local Doctor in your town
• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Index

As stated above, the cause of HPS is infection of the patient by hantavirus. Currently, about 14 subtypes of hantaviruses have been identified. Many subtypes have been named (for example, Sin Nombre, Black Creek hantavirus, and New York hantavirus); some investigators simply lump them under the term of "New World hantaviruses." The Sin Nombre subtype has caused the majority of current HPS disease. The virus apparently damages cells that compose blood vessel capillaries, causing them to leak fluids. This fluid leak, if it is profound in the lungs, causes the pulmonary syndrome that can lead to death.

Hantaviruses live their lifecycle in rodents but apparently do no harm; the viruses multiply and are shed in the rodent's urine, feces, and saliva. A recent study in California suggested about 15% of all deer mice examined tested positive for hantavirus. Although the deer mouse has been the source of most HPS infections, many other rodents may carry a different hantavirus subtype virus (for example, the white-footed mouse, the cotton rat, and the rice rat).

Currently, there are no readily available tests to diagnose HPS or even hantavirus infection in the early stage of the infection or disease mainly because the early symptoms are so nonspecific and the disease syndrome of HPS so infrequent. There has been no pressing need or use for a test. However, if the more severe HPS disease develops, the disease is presumptively diagnosed by the patient's association with an area where rodents proliferate or areas where HPS is known to occur (for example, the Four Corners area and recently the Yosemite National Park recreational area, especially certain tent-cabins rented to the public). Sequential chest X-rays may show worsening changes and fluid buildup. Definitive diagnosis is usually done by the CDC labs using special immunological tests that can distinguish hantavirus from Ebola, Marburg, and other viruses.