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It's common for the body to become overheated during the summer, but excessive heat is not good for the body. Our normal body temperature can be easily controlled by our lifestyle and diet. Drinking adequate water, consuming foods that cool our bodies, and avoiding habits that increase heat are all important steps we should take to help maintain a normal body temperature. If symptoms become severe, it's important to consult a doctor to avoid complications like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

How to reduce body heat during summer 2026 - Tips, Home remedies and When to see a doctor?

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Hantavirus Infection is a rare but serious rodent-borne viral disease transmitted through contact with infected rodent urine, saliva, or droppings, and it can lead to severe lung or kidney complications that may require urgent medical care.

Hantavirus: The Rare but Dangerous Rodent-Borne Infection

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Dr Rudra Prasad Sahu

<h2 data-block-key="iqrja">Key facts</h2><ul><li data-block-key="7jnoj">The virus can cause <a linktype="page" id="234">Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome</a> (HPS) in the Americas, which has a high fatality rate, and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in parts of Europe and Asia.</li><li data-block-key="48g2c">Early symptoms often resemble the flu, including fever, muscle pain, and fatigue, but the illness may later progress to severe breathing difficulties in HPS or kidney-related complications in HFRS.</li><li data-block-key="7qlm5">Hantavirus is generally not spread from person to person, although the rare Andes strain has been reported to transmit between humans in limited cases.</li><li data-block-key="41tt4">Symptoms of hantavirus infection usually appear within 1 to 8 weeks after exposure to the virus.</li><li data-block-key="cepp7">The most effective way to prevent hantavirus infection is to minimize exposure to rodents, wear protective gloves while cleaning contaminated areas, and ensure proper ventilation.</li><li data-block-key="adkdi">There is currently no specific vaccine or cure for hantavirus infection, and treatment mainly focuses on supportive medical care such as oxygen therapy, intensive monitoring, or dialysis in severe cases.</li><li data-block-key="fdfef">As of 2026, recent hantavirus outbreaks reported on cruise ships indicate that the disease continues to remain a significant public health concern.</li></ul><h2 data-block-key="5qm9n">Overview</h2>Hantavirus Infection is a rare but potentially fatal rodent-borne viral infection that spreads mainly through inhalation of particles contaminated with rodent urine or droppings, and it can lead to severe lung or kidney disease requiring immediate medical care.Hantavirus Infection is not a newly discovered virus; it has existed for decades and is considered an emerging infectious disease because it can occasionally spread from rodents to humans and cause severe illness.Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal respiratory disease that is mainly transmitted through exposure to infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. Hantaviruses are a group of viruses belonging to the Orthohantavirus genus that are mainly carried by rodents and can lead to serious, sometimes fatal, lung or kidney diseases in humans.<embed embedtype="image" format="fullwidth" id="49" alt="A high-quality scientific visualization of the Orthohantavirus genus. This image highlights the viral structure, including the lipid envelope and surface glycoproteins, representing the causative agents of zoonotic diseases like HPS and HFRS."/>Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) has a high fatality rate, with approximately 30% to 60% of infected individuals not surviving the illness.<embed embedtype="image" format="fullwidth" id="48" alt="A detailed visual representation of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory disease caused by hantavirus infection."/>Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted by breathing in airborne particles contaminated with infected rodent urine, saliva, or feces, and they are responsible for causing Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in the Americas and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) across regions of Europe and Asia.<embed embedtype="image" format="fullwidth" id="47" alt="This visual documents the characteristics of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). It focuses on the viral impact on renal function and the hemorrhagic symptoms associated with this group of clinically similar illnesses."/><h3 data-block-key="419is">Origin of Hantavirus</h3>Hantavirus infection was once referred to as Korean Hemorrhagic Fever (KHF), as the disease was first recognized in South Korea.An illness resembling hantavirus infection was reported among soldiers during the Korean War between 1951 and 1954. The virus was later officially identified in 1976 and isolated from rodents near the Hantan River in South Korea in 1978, leading to the name “Hantavirus.” This virus is commonly carried by rodents such as wild rats, mice, squirrels, and shrews. In the United States, Deer Mice are considered one of the primary carriers of the virus.<embed embedtype="image" format="fullwidth" id="46" alt="Close-up photo of a wild deer mouse in its natural forest habitat, showing the small rodent commonly found across North America."/><h3 data-block-key="5fa70">Current news</h3>According to the latest WHO report released on 8 May 2026, a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius resulted in 8 reported cases — including 6 confirmed and 2 probable infections — with 3 reported deaths.<embed embedtype="image" format="fullwidth" id="45" alt="The expedition cruise ship MV Hondius sailing through icy Antarctic waters under a dramatic polar sky"/>According to organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, as well as information from Wikipedia, Hantavirus Infection is considered a serious and potentially life-threatening disease that mainly spreads from wild rodents to humans.<h2 data-block-key="924ii">Burden of disease</h2>Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) affects 10,000 to 100,000 people each year, primarily concentrated across European and East Asian regions. Mortality outcomes vary significantly by region: HFRS cases in Europe and Asia see death rates between 1% and 15%, whereas HCPS in the Americas poses a much higher risk, with fatality rates reaching 40–50%. Because no targeted antiviral treatment exists, the emphasis remains on early clinical intervention. The disease disproportionately affects those in rural environments or agricultural sectors due to frequent contact with rodent populations.<h2 data-block-key="d96s7">Transmissions</h2> Hantavirus is contracted when viral particles from rodent saliva, urine, or droppings become airborne and are subsequently inhaled. Environmental disturbance of contaminated dust in confined areas, along with the manipulation of infected specimens, creates an inhalation hazard by lofting particles into the atmosphere.<embed embedtype="image" format="left" id="51" alt="hantavirus transmition"/><h3 data-block-key="73f8f">Primary Transmission Routes</h3>Most people get sick by breathing in tiny, invisible viral particles that enter the air whenever rodent nests or droppings are moved or swept.Infection can occur through self-inoculation: touching contaminated rodent excreta and subsequently rubbing your eyes, nose, or mouth.Infection through rodent bites or scratches is possible, though such instances are documented far less frequently than inhalation.Ingestion is a potential risk factor when food supplies have been exposed to and contaminated by rodent waste.<h3 data-block-key="ftjps">Human to Human Transmission</h3>The Andes virus, native to South America, stands alone as the only hantavirus strain documented to spread between humans, typically via close-range interactions.Apart from the Andes strain, hantaviruses are generally not communicable between humans, representing a secondary infection that does not lead to further outbreaks.<h3 data-block-key="449gu">Common Exposure Scenarios</h3>Environmental exposure is most common in unventilated, particulate-heavy settings such as agricultural buildings, lofts, or storage facilities.Endemic exposure is frequently associated with specific outdoor activities, primarily farming, forestry, and rural camping.<h2 data-block-key="b8ls9">Environment</h2>Hantaviruses are enzootic in specific rodent populations, including Muridae and Cricetidae families, which shed the virus in their saliva, urine, and feces. Human morbidity is primarily linked to the respiratory intake of aerosolized excreta within poorly ventilated enclosures. The pathogen is most prevalent in anthropogenic habitats characterized by a high density of reservoir hosts and frequent human-rodent interactions.<h3 data-block-key="83lmj">Epidemiological Risk Factors and Environmental Reservoirs</h3>The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the primary reservoir in the Western U.S., though hantaviruses are maintained by a diverse range of rodent taxa globally.Habitat fragmentation caused by deforestation and agricultural intensification drives rodent reservoirs to exploit anthropogenic food sources, increasing the risk of human exposure.Places like old sheds, barns, or summer cabins are high-risk spots if they’ve been closed up for a while, as cleaning them can send mouse-related germs into the air.Climatic events like El Niño often cause an abundance of vegetation and seeds; this sudden food surplus fuels rapid rodent breeding, which in turn spikes the chances of human-rodent encounters.The epidemiology of hantavirus exhibits clear seasonality, correlated with the phenology of reservoir hosts seeking anthropogenic refuge and the timing of human occupational or domestic activities.<h2 data-block-key="8q9h4">Symptoms and clinical presentation</h2>Symptoms of Hantavirus Infection usually develop within 1 to 8 weeks after exposure to the virus, a time interval known as the incubation period.<h3 data-block-key="28ejj">Early Symptoms</h3>The early symptoms of Hantavirus Infection often resemble common flu-like illnesses, which can make the infection difficult to recognize during its initial stages. Typical early signs and symptoms may include:<ul><li data-block-key="e1j4">Fever and chills</li><li data-block-key="99tnp">Headache</li><li data-block-key="dnlm5">Muscle aches, especially in the thighs, hips, back, and shoulders</li><li data-block-key="cjd6d">Fatigue and general weakness</li><li data-block-key="69rt">Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain</li><li data-block-key="e1u74">Dizziness</li></ul>Since these symptoms are similar to those of many common illnesses, they may initially be overlooked or mistaken for another condition. This is why informing doctors about possible exposure to rodents is important, as it can provide a key clue for identifying the infection.<h3 data-block-key="5a7qr">Advanced and More Severe Symptoms</h3>If the illness becomes more severe, additional serious symptoms may appear within four to ten days after the early symptoms begin. The progression of the illness largely depends on the specific type of hantavirus causing the infection.The most prominent clinical feature of HPS is an abrupt struggle to breathe, which requires immediate medical attention. As the lungs fill with fluid, individuals may suffer from coughing and severe shortness of breath; without immediate clinical care, HPS can be lethal.In Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS): The most critical stage of the illness involves a direct impact on renal function. The condition can progress to acute hypotension, internal bleeding, and the onset of renal failure. HFRS presents a broad clinical spectrum depending on the infecting strain, varying from minor symptoms to critical health emergencies.Many individuals infected with hantavirus experience such minor symptoms that the illness frequently goes undetected. The severity of the infection varies from person to person, and many individuals do not progress to a critical stage.<h2 data-block-key="d53m6">Diagnosis</h2>Diagnosis of Hantavirus Infection is based on a person’s symptoms and any recent exposure to rodents or contaminated materials such as rodent urine, saliva, or droppings. Blood tests can show whether your immune system has produced antibodies against hantavirus. Your doctor may also request additional lab tests to exclude other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms.<embed embedtype="image" format="left" id="50" alt="hantavirus diagnosis"/>

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