Prevalence and Incidence of Hantavirus

Hantavirus: Rare Disease

Hantavirus is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Hantavirus, or a subtype of Hantavirus, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.

Incidence (annual) of Hantavirus:

33 annual cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999) ... see also overview of Hantavirus.

Incidence Rate:

approx 1 in 8,242,424 or 0.00% or 32 people in USA [Source statistic for calcuation: "33 annual cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999)" -- see also general information about data sources]

Incidence extrapolations for USA for Hantavirus:

32 per year, 2 per month, 0 per week, 0 per day, 0 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. [Source statistic for calculation: "33 annual cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome notified in USA 1999 (MMWR 1999)" -- see also general information about data sources]

Prevalence/Incidence of Hantavirus: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the prevalence and/or incidence of Hantavirus.

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.

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Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Hantavirus: Hantavirus - epidemiology
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)

• The host rodent develops a chronic nonfatal infection and excretes virus in urine, feces, and saliva.
• Humans acquire the infection by inhaling virus-contaminated airborne particles from the dried rodent excreta. Typically, this occurs when sweeping or otherwise disturbing dusty areas in a rodent-infested building.
• Nosocomial transmission has been observed only with the Andes strain in Argentina, never in the US.
• In the US, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has occurred primarily in young healthy adults, although in South America a larger proportion of cases are in children.

Hantavirus - incidence

Human cases are more common in the spring and summer and also in years when the population of the rodent host has increased.

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Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008

About prevalence and incidence statistics:

The term 'prevalence' of Hantavirus usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Hantavirus at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Hantavirus refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Hantavirus diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.