Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

The Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a type of disease which is infectious in its nature. It has symptoms that are similar to the flu, and quickly gets into problems that are potentially fatal.

There are many types of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

What is a responsible carrier of this virus is the rodent.It is the deer mouse out of all of these rodents, that plays the biggest role in this illness. Becoming infected is done simply by breathing the air from hantaviruses which carry infections by the urine and other excrement's of infected rodents like the deer mouse and many more. The best prevention I can advise then, is to stay out of the way of rodents.

Now the hanavirus will advance through two phases. The incubation period is about anywhere from 7 days from exposure to the infection right up until five weeks.

At the earliest onset of symptoms, there will be things like:

Having the chills

Fevers

Tiredness

Muscle aches that occur in your back, thighs, and hips

Bad headaches

Rapid breathing

Rapid heartbeat

Diarrhea

Upset Stomach

Stomach ache

Vertigo (dizziness)

If you are having a cough, this shows that this infectious disease has reached the respiratory system. You will then feel short of your breath as fluid builds up inside of the lungs. Other signs that will then appear are:

A productive cough

A lot of respiratory distress somewhat like asthma

Lungs fill with fluid

Oxygen levels become so far reduced that you build up carbon dioxide and also acid in the blood.

Respiratory function will steadily decline to where your lungs are no longer able to deliver adequate oxygen to the blood.

Other organs will begin failure once the respiratory system shuts down.

You will have very low blood pressure

You need to see your doctor if any of these symptoms are happening and you have the first symptoms of problems in breathing.

The hantavirus is divided into types, and they each have their own carrier of the virus, the deer mouse being the worst.

Once a person breathes in the virus which is primarily in the air, this is how you come down with it. You breathe in the virus, it travels into the lungs, and then reaches the blood vessels. The blood vessels then will rebel, and lungs become overrun with fluid. This process which can occur, will set off this virus.

It is hard to transmit this virus from people contact, that is hardly seen. If you receive a bite from an infected rodent, or eat food that has been tainted in some way with rodent droppings, this is another way to receive hantavirus.

This virus is pretty common in the US, especially in the western part of the US or areas that are rural.

Certain people that work in areas around rodents are more at risk for hantaviruses.

If you are suspicious of having hantavirus after being around rodents, your doctor will want to examine your blood. Lab technicians will examine the blood for what is called the IgM and also IgG types of antibodies. This is the key to whether or not you have hantavirus.

The best way for treatment and cure of hantavirus caught in time is hospitalization. If your case is into severe stages at all, you'll need therapy for your respiratory systems, and proper ventilation to keep the airways open and working. Doctors will order oxygenation of your blood so that it removes the carbon dioxide and adds clean oxygen to your body.

An antiviral drug known as Ribavirin will be given in earlier stages since it reduces the chances of complications in more severe forms. Giving this medicine when the virus is into severe stages however, does very little good if at all.

The best way to avoid this whole scenario with hantavirus is to stay away from any rodents, and be extremely careful when working around them. Wearing a mask over your face when around these creatures is not a bad idea at all since it will help you not breathe in their germs that are around you.