Hantavirosis is a term that describes an infection from the Bunyaviridae virus family which is transmitted from rodents. The condition occurs in China, Russia, Korean Peninsula, northern and western Europe, Brazil, Chile, United States, Panama, Canada, and Patagonian Argentina.

Doctors conduct a complete medical assessment in order to diagnose hantavirosis. This includes an assessment of medical history, laboratory data, and physical examination. Medical history must include the affected person's age, sex, occupation, place of work, exposure to illness, any recent medications including antibiotics, and date of disease onset. Information regarding symptoms is included, such as gradual or sudden occurrence, duration, relief measures, weight loss or gain, and precipitating factors. Recent hospitalization, blood transfusion, recent camping trips or travel, vaccinations, and exposure to animals is also taken into consideration. Drug abuse and sexually transmitted disease 'are factored in as well.

Penicillin is usually prescribed to treat hantavirosis and other rat-borne diseases.

Symptoms include pneumonia, hemorrhagic fever, malaise, diarrhea, headache, myalgia, backache, muscle ache, vomiting, nausea, low blood pressure, breathing difficulty, hypoxemia, rapid heart rate, kidney insufficiency, bleeding, protein in urine, petechiae, gastrointestinal bleeding, bleeding from uterus, nose and mouth, retinitis, encephalitis, bruises, and icterus.

Rodents are the primary cause for hantavirosis. They excrete the virus through urine, saliva, and feces. Infection occurs when people inhale rodent excreta; person to person transmission does not happen. Squirrels, chipmunks, and other animals may also carry the virus.

hantavirosis