What may begin as an ordinary fever or seasonal flu can rapidly become a serious medical emergency when caused by hantavirus. Doctors explain that infected individuals often first experience body aches, fatigue, headaches, nausea and mild fever, making the illness easy to mistake for a common viral infection.
However, within a few days, some patients develop severe breathing difficulties as the virus begins damaging the lungs.
The most dangerous aspect of hantavirus infection is that the early symptoms can seem so deceptive mild
Dr. Arjun Khanna, HOD, Pulmonology Medicine, Amrita Hospital
Hantavirus is mainly spread through contact with infected urine, saliva or droppings, especially in dusty, poorly ventilated and rodent-infested areas such as storerooms, barns, warehouses or abandoned buildings. Health experts stress that early diagnosis is critical because there is currently no specific cure for the infection.
What makes the disease medically concerning is that hantavirus does not attack the lungs like regular pneumonia does. It attacks the tiny blood vessels called endothelial cells1 inside the lungs. This creates overly leaky blood vessels that cause fluid to leak into the air sacs responsible for oxygen exchange, a dangerous condition known as pulmonary edema.
As oxygen levels fall, patients may suddenly experience chest tightness, rapid heartbeat, blue lips, and extreme shortness of breath. Medical experts warn that this rapid deterioration can happen within hours, often requiring intensive care and ventilator support.
Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment available for hantavirus infections and treatment mainly focuses on early diagnosis, oxygen therapy, intensive care support and mechanical ventilation in critical cases.
Pulmonologists also warn that flu-like symptoms followed by sudden breathing difficulties after possible exposure to rodents should never be ignored.
Preventive measures such as controlling rodents, ventilating enclosed spaces, and wearing masks and gloves during cleaning can significantly reduce the risk of exposure.
- Endothelial cells are specialized, flat cells that create a single-cell-thick inner layer (the endothelium) of blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and the heart. They function as a dynamic, selectively permeable barrier between blood and surrounding tissues, playing an essential role in cardiovascular health. ↩︎
Sources: How Hantavirus Lurks in the Lungs Before Patients Suddenly Struggle to Breathe
Acadora 