Where does hantavirus lurk in the U.S.? Scientists found 'hot spots' in surprising areas [View all]
A recent suspected hantavirus case in Illinois is a stark reminder that the potentially deadly virus does exist in the U.S.
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There is a type of hantavirus here — predominantly the Sin Nombre virus — that causes a potentially fatal lung syndrome that is raising concern.
It’s spread from rodents to people, typically when urine, saliva or feces particles containing the hantavirus get into the air. Arizona has one of the highest numbers of infections in the U.S., but recent research has identified at least three states that are emerging as hantavirus hot spots in the U.S.
As many as 15 different kinds of rodents — including the deer mouse — that carry hantavirus are most commonly found in Virginia, Colorado and Texas, according to scientists at Virginia Tech’s department of fish and wildlife conservation. Through blood samples, the study, which was published in the journal Ecosphere, identified six new species of rodent as potential hosts for the virus.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/where-does-hantavirus-lurk-u-103000921.html
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