Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a serious disease that affects breathing, muscles, and energy. It can be fatal.
People who live or work in rural or semi-rural settings or who frequent similar settings (cabins, etc.) where they may have contact with deer mice and other wild rodents. These infections occur mainly in residents or visitors to the Southwestern United States.
How Humans Get HPS from Animals
Hantavirus is an infection carried by certain wild rodents, mainly deer mice. It is passed to humans the following ways:
- Breathing in air contaminated with tiny particles of rodent urine, droppings or nesting materials
- Touching rodent urine, droppings or nesting materials
- Eating food contaminated with urine, droppings or nesting materials
- Getting bitten by an infected rodent (this is rare)
You CANNOT get Hantavirus from:
- Another person
- Farm animals
- Mosquitoes
- Dogs or cats
- Guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, or other pet store rodents.
More Hantavirus Information
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