Picture of Sin Nombre hantavirus particles; SOURCE: CDC/D. Loren Ketai, MD

Man Died Of Hantavirus In China:  

After country is being recovered from the deadliest outbreak of coronavirus, a new killer, "hantavirus" is found to be infecting people in China. according to the reports, hantavirus has been found in a person who earlier and tested for the cause of death.

In the last few months China has been hit by coronavirus very badly. After a long fight with the coronavirus when the country is recovering quite fast, a new dealiest virus, hantavirus has been landed in the country leaving one dead already. According to the state media, the man, a resident of Yunnan Province, died of Hantavirus on a bus while travelling to Shandong Province for work on Monday.

What Is Hantavirus: 

 hantaviruses are a family of viruses which is transmitted mainly by rodents and can show varied disease syndrome in people. The name of hantavirus varies depending on the region. In America, it is known as “New World” hantaviruses, while in Europe and Asia, it is known as “Old World” hantaviruses.

New World hantaviruses may cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), while Old World hantavirus may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

History Of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

Hantavirus was first recognized as an infectious disease in the early 1950s when a cluster of 3,000 United Nation troops stationed in Korea was struck by a mysterious illness. Ten to fifteen percent of those infected perished, ^[1] and though the exact etiologic agent was not discovered for two decades, it was suspected that rodents served as the main epidemiologic vector. Infection was associated with fever, hypotension, renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The clinical syndrome became known as hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), formerly Korean hemorrhagic fever, and the virus was named Hanta after the Hantaan River of Korea. Over the ensuing years, several other etiologic agents of HFRS such as the Seoul, Puumala, and Dobrava viruses, were discovered across Europe and Asia.

In May 1993, an outbreak of an unexplained pulmonary illness occurred in the southwestern United States, in an area shared by Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah known as “The Four Corners”. A young, physically fit Navajo man suffering from shortness of breath was rushed to a hospital in New Mexico and died very rapidly. CDC

While reviewing the results of the case, medical personnel discovered that the young man’s fiancée had died a few days before after showing similar symptoms, a piece of information that proved key to discovering the disease. As Dr. James Cheek of the Indian Health Service (IHS) noted, “I think if it hadn’t been for that initial pair of people that became sick within a week of each other, we never would have discovered the illness at all”.

An investigation combing the entire Four Corners region was launched by the New Mexico Office of Medical Investigations (OMI) to find any other people who had a similar case history. Within a few hours, Dr. Bruce Tempest of IHS, working with OMI, had located five young, healthy people who had all died after acute respiratory failure.

Early Signs And Symptoms Of Hantavirus:

• Hantaviruses are RNA viruses transmitted to humans by rodents (rodent-borne).
• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, also referred to as HPS, is a disease in which, in the late stage of infection with a hantavirus subtype.
• Early symptoms of hantavirus infections (fatigue, fever, muscle aches) are not caused by anything specific.
• Pain specially in thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. An infected person may also experience headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal problems. In case of late symptoms, usually after four to 10 days, one may show coughing and shortness of breath. 

• Signs and symptoms of HPS as it spreads thoroughout the body include;
  • lung congestion,
  • fluid accumulation in the lungs, and
  • shortness of breath.
• In addition, some hantaviruses can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) as the disease progresses.
• Hantavirus is spread to humans by particles of; rodent urine,feces, saliva, and airborne particles containing these excretions. 
• About 38% of hantavirus infections are fatal (mortality rate).
• Lung capillaries leak fluid into the lung tissue, which causes hantavirus.

Treatment Of Hantavirus:

According to CDC, 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. In intensive care, patients are intubated and given oxygen therapy to help them through the period of severe respiratory distress.

The earlier the patient is brought in to intensive care, the better. If a patient is experiencing full distress, it is less likely the treatment will be effective.

Therefore, if you have been around rodents and have symptoms of fever, deep muscle aches, and severe shortness of breath, see your doctor immediately. Be sure to tell your doctor that you have been around rodents—this will alert your physician to look closely for any rodent-carried disease, such as HPS.

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