Hantavirus is an agent that had previously only been known to cause severe kidney disease and hemorrhagicfevers
the emerging disease has a mortality rate of _%
33
Common features of the prodromal phase of this infection include fever, chills, myalgias (muscle aches), headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea or a combination of these symptoms.
After prodromal phase, soon, a severe pulmonary edema occurs and causes acute respiratory distress (ARDS)
What occurs after hantavirus antigen has spread through the blood
Severe breathingdifficulties and a drop in BP
Hantavirus is transmitted via airborne dust contaminated with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents
Small outbreaks of the disease are usually correlated with increases in the local rodent population.
The diagnosis is established by detection of IgM to hantavirus in the patient’s blood or by using PCR techniques
