Hantaviruses: A Global Disease Problem
1997
Hantaviruses: A Global Disease Problem
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Connie Schmaljohn, Brian Hjelle
Primary Institution: United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases; University of New Mexico
Hypothesis
The study reviews the global distribution of hantaviruses, their potential to cause disease, and their relationships to each other and to their rodent hosts.
Conclusion
Hantaviruses are a significant public health concern due to their potential to cause severe human illness.
Supporting Evidence
- Approximately 150,000 to 200,000 cases of HFRS are reported each year worldwide, with more than half in China.
- HPS was first described in 1993 when a cluster of cases of adult fatal respiratory distress occurred in the Four Corners region of the United States.
- Death rates for HFRS can range from less than 0.1% to approximately 10%, depending on the hantavirus responsible for the illness.
Takeaway
Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and can make people very sick, especially if they breathe in particles from rodent droppings.
Methodology
The study involved a review of the global distribution, ecology, and epidemiology of hantaviruses.
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