What is antiviral treatment for hantavirus?
Sometimes antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin, are used to treat other strains of hantavirus and associated infections. However, no large trials have proven them to work, but doctors may try in very severe cases. Recovery can be slow, and patients often complain about weakness, fatigue and impaired exercise tolerance.
Does hantavirus have a treatment?
There is no specific treatment, cure, or vaccine for hantavirus infection. However, we do know that if infected individuals are recognized early and receive medical care in an intensive care unit, they may do better.
Can immune system fight hantavirus?
A study shows for the first time how antibodies can prevent hantavirus infection, with findings that may lead to new treatment and prevention strategies.
Is hantavirus a respiratory virus?
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans caused by infection with hantaviruses. Anyone who comes into contact with rodents that carry hantaviruses is at risk of HPS. Rodent infestation in and around the home remains the primary risk for hantavirus exposure.
How long can you live with hantavirus?
Survival of the virus for 2 or 3 days has been shown at normal room temperature. Exposure to sunlight will decrease the time of viability, and freezing temperatures will actually increase the time that the virus survives.
What is the survival rate of hantavirus?
Yes. HPS can be fatal. It has a mortality rate of 38%.
Do all mice carry hantavirus?
Only some kinds of mice and rats can give people hantaviruses that can cause HPS. In North America, they are the deer mouse, the white-footed mouse, the rice rat, and the cotton rat. However, not every deer mouse, white-footed mouse, rice rat, or cotton rat carries a hantavirus.
Where is hantavirus most commonly found?
HPS is more common in South America than in North America. Cases have been identified in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and Bolivia. Andes virus causes HPS in Argentina and Chile and is the only hantavirus known to have been transmitted from person to person.
Is it easy to get hantavirus?
Cohen: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is rare — the chance of getting the disease is 1 in 13,000,000, which is less likely than being struck by lightning.
How long can hantavirus last?
The virus may remain infectious for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Exposure to sunlight will decrease the time of viability and freezing temperatures will increase the time that the virus remains infectious.