Hantavirus: What is the disease transmitted by mice that affected Gene Hackman’s wife
Hantavirus can develop into two clinical forms: a respiratory form and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. The former is the most common in the United States and is therefore believed to have caused Arakawa’s death. The disease initially presents with flu-like symptoms but is then followed by severe respiratory failure.
This virus is contracted directly from rodents: more than 200 potentially infectious rodent species are known.
Symptoms
Hantavirus syndrome generally causes fever and muscle pain that usually lasts between three and six days. If untreated, however, the disease progresses, triggering more severe symptoms. Fluid builds up in and around the lungs. At that point, the condition worsens rapidly, and the affected person may die within 24 to 36 hours.
Treatment
Especially for cases of hemorrhagic fever, treatment may include the administration of a broad-spectrum antiviral. For the pulmonary form, respiratory and circulatory support are provided, and ventilatory assistance is used—treatments that follow protocols for lung infections. For the hemorrhagic form, which claims fewer victims, supportive therapy may include kidney dialysis. The typical course of the disease, which generally has a favorable prognosis, lasts about two weeks.
