Hantavirus basics
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses carried mainly by certain rodent species. Different hantaviruses cause different diseases in different parts of the world.
What is hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses spread mainly by rodents. Each hantavirus type tends to be carried by one or a small number of host species. People become infected most often by inhaling dust contaminated by rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Different hantaviruses cause different illnesses — most notably hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Americas and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Europe and Asia.
Disease types
Hantavirus pulmonary / cardiopulmonary syndrome
Mainly the Americas
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
Mainly Europe and Asia
Andes virus disease
Parts of South America (Argentina, Chile)
Rodent reservoirs
Each hantavirus tends to be carried by specific rodent species. A few key examples:
Myth vs fact
All mice carry hantavirus.
Only certain rodent species carry specific hantaviruses. Common house mice are not the main reservoir.
You can catch hantavirus from normal human contact.
Most hantaviruses do not spread person-to-person. Andes virus in South America is a documented exception in rare close-contact situations.
If I saw a mouse, I will get hantavirus.
Risk depends on the region, rodent species, contamination level, enclosed spaces, dust exposure, and the activity you were doing.
Vacuuming droppings is the safest way to clean them.
Vacuuming or sweeping can stir contaminated dust into the air. Always wet down droppings with disinfectant first.
Hantavirus is treated with antibiotics.
Hantaviruses are viruses — antibiotics do not work. Care is supportive and severe cases need hospital treatment.
There is a widely available hantavirus vaccine.
There is no broadly licensed vaccine internationally. Some HFRS vaccines exist in parts of Asia.