Hantavirus disease includes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) and non-HPS hantavirus infection.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a serious infectious disease that affects the lungs and can cause death, especially if supportive care is delayed. Most people are exposed to hantavirus by breathing in virus particles from an infected rodent’s (e.g., mice) urine, feces, or saliva. Most hantaviruses are not spread person-to-person.

Hantaviruses can cause many different disease syndromes, depending on the specific strain of hantavirus. Hantaviruses in the Americas, called “New World” hantaviruses, may cause HPS or non-HPS hantavirus infection, where patients experience only non-specific viral symptoms. Andes virus is a type of hantavirus spread to people by rodents in South America and, less commonly, by other infected people. In Europe and Asia, there are other hantaviruses known as the “Old World" hantaviruses that may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) (internal bleeding with kidney damage).

Some rodents can carry hantaviruses and are never sick. They may pass the virus in their droppings (feces), urine, and saliva. The virus can then spread in the air on dust particles that people could then inhale. This may happen if you are cleaning an area with rodent droppings and do not take proper precautions (see “Rodent Control and Disposal” below). You can also be infected if you touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after handling items (e.g., tools or clothing) that have the virus on them. 

Take precautions while doing things that could increase the possibility of contact with the virus. These include cleaning areas where rodents could live, like barns, cabins, hunting blinds, or sheds, and during outdoor hobbies like camping, hiking, or hunting.

While most hantaviruses are not spread person-to-person, the Andes type of hantavirus can be. A person sick with Andes virus can infect others through close contact. 

Early signs and symptoms of hantavirus infection usually occur one to eight weeks after exposure.  

People with hantavirus infection often report: 

• Fever 
• Fatigue 
• Muscle aches, particularly of the large muscles of the thighs, hips, and back  
• Headache 
• Joint pain 
• Dizziness 
• Chills 
• Gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea 

The more severe, life-threatening signs and symptoms of HPS may develop 4-10 days after the onset of illness and include: 

• Coughing 
• Shortness of breath 
• Chest tightness 
• Rapid breathing 

This stage can progress rapidly (often within 24 hours) to severe respiratory distress, requiring hospitalization, intensive care, and mechanical ventilation (support with breathing). 

Seek immediate medical care if you have sudden and severe shortness of breath. Contact your medical provider if you have a febrile illness after contact with rodents or their waste or a person with Andes hantavirus infection and tell your provider about the type of contact you had. Reported cases of hantavirus infection are rare in Texas.