A Hanta virus may be any member of the Hantavirus genus in the Bunyaviridae family. Viruses in this genus are transmitted through rodent bites or aerosolized rodent feces and cause Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that infected people may suffer the following symptoms:
Onset
The first symptoms of HPS typically include a fever that lasts three to five days. HPS initially causes nonspecific symptoms, such as chills, fever and muscle aches.
Progression
HPS may also cause less common symptoms in addition to general flu-like symptoms. These include headaches, coughing, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Cardiopulmonary Phase
HPS generally enters the cardiopulmonary phase after about one week, which is characterized by coughing and rapid breathing. This stage progresses rapidly and patients often require ventilation within 24 hours.
Tests
A complete blood count and blood chemistry test should be performed every 8 to 12 hours when HPS is suspected. The platelet count will drop below 150,000 in 80 percent of these cases.
Diagnosis
HPS is diagnosed by the presence of immunoglobin gamma M (IgM) in tissue samples. Common detection techniques include enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA), Western blot or immunoblot techniques.
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