Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, also known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, is a recently described infectious syndrome found throughout the Americas. Although infection is sporadic and uncommon compared with other atypical pneumonia syndromes, its high mortality rate warrants the maintenance of a high index of suspicion in rural settings. Because no specific therapies are available for the disease, prevention and early recognition play an important role in reducing mortality from the disease. This article reviews the nature of the viruses that cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the epidemiology and ecology of disease transmission, and disease recognition, treatment, and prevention.
Simpson
Steven Q
SQ
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Kansas, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Mail Stop 3007, Kansas City, KS 66160-7381, USA. ssimpson3@kumc.edu
Spikes
Leslie
L
Patel
Saurin
S
Faruqi
Ibrahim
I
D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D029261:Sin Nombre virus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology