HANTAVIRUS

About:

• The hantaviruses are a family of viruses spread mainly by rodents. A person can get infected if he/she comes in contact with a rodent that carries the virus.
  
  
• The hantavirus is not novel and its first case dates back to 1993.
  
  
• Cases of the hantavirus in humans occur mostly in rural areas where forests, fields and farms offer suitable habitat for infected rodents.
  
  
• Hantaviruses in the Americas are known as “New World” hantaviruses and may cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Other hantaviruses, known as “Old World” hantaviruses, are found mostly in Europe and Asia and may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).