Hantavirus is usually transmitted through close contact with infected rodents or their waste, especially by inhaling tiny airborne particles released from urine or droppings after they are disturbed. Infection can also occur through rodent bites or, in some cases, through cuts and the eyes.
Human-to-human transmission is considered extremely rare and has only been linked to the Andes strain, which requires prolonged and close contact with an infected person showing symptoms. This differs from influenza, which spreads easily through droplets released by coughing or sneezing.
Details
Hantavirus can cause two major severe illnesses:
• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS):
It begins with symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and muscle aches, before potentially progressing to severe breathing difficulties that require urgent medical attention. Mortality rates for some strains, including the Andes strain, range between 20% and 40%.
• Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS):
It starts with flu-like symptoms before developing into low blood pressure, internal bleeding, and acute kidney failure.
The virus has an incubation period ranging from one to eight weeks, making early detection more difficult.
There is currently no specific treatment for hantavirus infections. Doctors rely on supportive care such as oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, and dialysis for severe cases. New treatments are also being tested, while China and South Korea use certain vaccines against local strains.
According to estimates from the National Institutes of Health, around 150,000 cases of hantavirus-related haemorrhagic fever are reported annually worldwide, mostly in Asia and Europe. In the United States, 890 cases were recorded between 1993 and 2023.
In February 2025, Betsy Arakawa, wife of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, died from a hantavirus-linked respiratory illness after rodent nests and dead rodents were found in buildings on her property.
What’s Next?
Health authorities continue monitoring strains capable of spreading between humans while researchers work on developing vaccines and treatments aimed at reducing the high mortality rates associated with some forms of the virus.
