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Causes of Hantavirus
What causes Hantavirus?
Article excerpts about the
causes of Hantavirus:
rodents that carry viruses which cause various forms of
hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome (HPS) in North and South America (Source: excerpt from Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers: DVRD)
Related information on causes of Hantavirus:
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Hantavirus may be found in:
Causes of Hantavirus: Online Medical Books
16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the causes of Hantavirus.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome:
Causes
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
A member of the Bunyaviridae family, the genus Hantavirus (first isolated in 1977) is responsible for Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Disease transmission is associated with exposure to aerosols (such as dust) contaminated by urine or feces from infected rodents, the primary reservoir for this virus. Data suggest that the deer mouse is the main source, but pinon mice, brush mice, and western chipmunks in close proximity to humans in rural areas are also sources. Hantavirus infections have been documented in people whose activities are associated with rodent contact, such as farming, hiking or camping in rodent-infested areas, and occupying rodent-infested dwellings.
Infected rodents manifest no apparent illness but shed the virus in feces, urine, and saliva. Human infection may occur from inhalation, ingestion (of contaminated food or water, for example), contact with rodent excrement, or rodent bites. Transmission from person to person or by mosquitoes, fleas, or other arthropods hasn’t been reported.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Infant respiratory distress syndrome:
Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Although airways and alveoli of a neonate’s respiratory system are present by 27 weeks’ gestation, the intercostal muscles are weak and the alveolar capillary system is immature. The premature neonate with IRDS develops widespread alveolar collapse due to a lack of surfactant, a lipoprotein pres-ent in alveoli and respiratory bronchioles. Surfactant lowers surface tension and helps prevent alveolar collapse. This surfactant deficiency results in widespread atelectasis, which leads to inadequate alveolar ventilation with shunting of blood through collapsed areas of lung, causing hypoxemia and acidosis.
IRDS occurs almost exclusively in neonates born before 37 weeks’ gestation (in 60% of those born before the 28th week). The incidence is greatest in the 1,000 to 1,500 g birthweight group. Infants of diabetic mothers, those born by cesarean delivery, second-born twins, infants with perinatal asphyxia, and those delivered suddenly after antepartum hemorrhage are more commonly afflicted.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
A member of the Bunyaviridae family, the genus Hantavirus (first isolated in 1977) is responsible for Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Disease transmission is associated with exposure to infected rodents, the primary reservoir for this virus.
Data suggest that the deer mouse is the main source, but pinion mice, brush mice, and western chipmunks in proximity to humans in rural areas are also sources.
Infected rodents manifest no apparent illness but shed the virus in feces, urine, and saliva. Human infection may occur from inhalation, ingestion (of contaminated food or water, for example), contact with rodent excrement, or rodent bites. Transmission from person to person or by mosquitoes, fleas, or other arthropods has not been reported.
Hantavirus infections have been documented in people whose activities are associated with rodent contact, such as farming, hiking, or camping in rodent-infested areas, and occupying rodent-infested dwellings.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Acuterespiratory distress syndrome:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
ARDS can result from any one of several respiratory and nonrespiratory causes:
Altered permeability of the alveolocapillary membranes causes fluid to accumulate in the interstitial space. If the pulmonary lymphatics can’t remove this fluid, interstitial edema develops. The fluid collects in the peribronchial and peribronchiolar spaces, producing bronchiolar narrowing.
Hypoxemia occurs as a result of fluid accumulation in alveoli and subsequent alveolar collapse, causing the shunting of blood through nonventilated lung regions. In addition, regional differences in compliance and airway narrowing cause regions of low ventilation and inadequate perfusion, which also contribute to hypoxemia.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Respiratory distress syndrome:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
Although the airways and alveoli of a neonate’s respiratory system are present by the 27th week of gestation, the intercostal muscles are weak and the alveoli and capillary blood supply are immature. In respiratory distress syndrome, the premature neonate develops widespread alveolar collapse because of lack of surfactant, a lipoprotein present in alveoli and respiratory bronchioles.
Surfactant normally lowers surface tension and aids in maintaining alveolar patency, preventing collapse, particularly at end expiration. But a deficiency results in widespread atelectasis, which leads to inadequate alveolar ventilation with shunting of blood through collapsed areas of lung, causing hypoxia and acidosis.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Respiratory Distress and Apnea:
Principal Causes of Respiratory Distress (Neonatal)
(The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics)
- Upperrespiratory tract obstruction
- Lower respiratory tract disorders
- Transienttachypnea of the newborn
- Respiratory distress syndrome (hyalinemembrane disease)
- Meconium aspiration and other aspirationsyndromes
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary air leaks
- Pulmonary hemorrhage
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- Congenital malformations of the lungs,bronchi, diaphragm, and rib cage
- Lung agenesis and aplasia
- Pulmonary hypoplasia
- Pulmonary sequestration
- Lobar emphysema
- Cystic lung lesions
- Bronchogeniccyst
- Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation
- Intrapulmonary cysts
- Congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasia
- Chylothorax
- Bronchial malformations
- Diaphragm lesions
- Congenitaldiaphragmatic hernia
- Diaphragmatic eventration
- Diaphragmatic paralysis or paresis
- Rib cage anomalies
- Persistent fetal circulation
- Cardiac disorders
- Hematologic disorders
- Anemia
- Polycythemia
- Metabolic disorders
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia
- Metabolic acidosis
- Neurologic and muscle disorders
- Braindisorders
- Spinal cord injury
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Drugs
Source: The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics, 2006
Hantavirus:
Hantavirus - pathophysiology
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)
- The 2 most important pathophysiologic changes:
- Myocardial depression resulting in shock
- The cardiac dysfunction is characterized by a falling cardiac output, increased systemic vascular resistance, and normal or low pulmonary artery wedge pressure.
- Alveolar capillary leak pulmonary edema resulting in hypoxia
- The pulmonary alveoli are flooded with fluid devoid of erythrocytes but with a protein content similar to serum.
Hantavirus - etiology
The original human outbreak recognized in the southwestern US was caused by the Sin Nombre strain of Hantavirus transmitted from chronically infected deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Subsequent cases were recognized throughout the seemingly ubiquitous distribution of the deer mouse. Since then, additional strains of Hantavirus have been recognized, each with a unique rodent host. The resulting human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have now been identified from Canada to Argentina.
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
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