The Hantaviruses are a group of rodent-borne viruses that cause illness in humans. The hantaviruses found in Europe and Asia cause a form of kidney disease called hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The hantaviruses in the Americas attack the lungs, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS was only identified as a disease occurring in the US in the 1990s. Key Facts: HPS is rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 728 cases of the illness were identified in the United States between 1993 and 2017. Cases of HPS have been identified in 34 states, with 96% identified in states west of the Mississippi River. The hantavirus that is the predominant cause of HPS in the US is called the Sin Nombre virus. The deer mouse is the primary carrier of the virus, with other carriers including the white-tailed mouse, cotton rat and rice rat. The house mouse and Norway rat most frequently encountered in urban communities are not carriers. Sym...
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