title: Hantavirus.
abstract: Sin Nombre virus (SNV), an emerging pathogen in the United States, was identified in 1993. This hantavirus, a member of the Bunyaviridae family of RNA viruses, is transmitted by its reservoir host Peromyscus maniculatus, the deer mouse. Transmission is by inhalation of aerosolized feces, urine, or saliva from the infected mice. The illness that pursues, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), is characterized initially by mild flu-like symptoms, followed by rapid progression to respiratory distress. There is no established therapeutic regimen and treatment is only supportive. Preventive methods include attempts to minimize contact with the rodents since elimination of the virus is not realistic.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hawes
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Seabolt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D010542:Peromyscus / Q000821:virology; D012307:Risk Factors; D029261:Sin Nombre virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology