PRESENTATION OUTLINE
WHERE IT COMES FROM
- Cotton rat
- There is 4 rats and mouses that contain them
- Rice rat
- White footed mouse
- Deer mouse
Symptoms
The early symptoms of hantavirus disease are similar to the flu and include:
Chills
Fever
Muscle aches
People with hantavirus may begin to feel better for a very short amount of time, but within 1-2 days, it becomes hard to breathe. The disease gets worse quickly. Symptoms include:
Dry cough
General ill feeling (malaise)
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Shortness of breath
It is believed that humans can get sick with this virus if they come in contact with contaminated dust from mice nests or droppings. You may come in contact with such dust when cleaning homes, sheds, or other enclosed areas that have been empty for a long time.
Treatment
People with hantavirus are admitted to the hospital, often to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Treatments will include:
Oxygen
Breathing tube or breathing machine in severe cases
A medication called ribavirin to treat kidney-related problems and reduce the risk of death
There is no effective treatment for hantavirus infection involving the lungs.
