HPS is a virus and an infectious respiratory disease caused by the Hantavirus, a Biosafety Level 4 pathogen, which could probably be found in your own back yard. Without the proper care, HPS is a typically fatal. This "hantavirus" belongs a group of RNA virii related to the family Bunyaviridae and, depending on its nature, may be the etiological agent for one of two acute illnesses: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Rodents, especially the deer mouse, carry Hantaviruses that cause HPS. You can become infected by exposure to their droppings. The HFRS causing hantavirii are endemic to East Asia, while HPS-causing hantavirii are endemic to the New World. Nearly one- half of all Hantavirus- infected individuals have died. The Hantavirus has a reputation for being a "rare" virus, which is a misunderstanding. In the United States, the virus is ubiquitous, being found in over half of the lower 48 states. In fact, cases of the diseas!

e have occurred in at least thirty states.

The first symptoms can occur anywhere between five days and three weeks after infection. They usually include fever, fatigue, and aching muscle

HPS is a viral infection. If a vaccine cannot prevent a severe viral infection, then it can be controlled only with "aggressive supportive care", where the patient is provided with continuous medical assistance and with any luck kept alive long enough for their body to develop antibody resistance. In the case of HPS, the patient will usually receive antibiotics initially, until the diagnosis of HPS is certain. Once HPS is proven, the patient will be transferred to an intensive-care unit, where they are carefully monitored for fluid balance, electrolyte balance, and blood pressure. During the beginning of the cardiopulmonary phase, the patient may need to be hooked up to a ventilator, which will with a bit of luck keep them breathing. In some occasions, antiviral medication, such as Ribavirin and Bradycor) will be administered intravenously, although it has not shown much promise when fighting HPS. Interestingly enough Ribavirin does appear to be an effective weapon against HFR!

2. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hanta/hantafaq.html

Cases of HPS have also been reported in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay, making this syndrome a pan-American zoonosis.

1. http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/05633.html

atient can have kidney difficulties, such as excessive urination (polyurea), but usually recuperate quickly, during the course of the disease, if damage happens to occur to the lungs or lung vasculature, t

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