Basics

What is Hantavirus? A Complete Guide

Hantaviruses are rodent-borne RNA viruses that cause two distinct human syndromes. Learn how transmission, geography, and severity differ between strains.

Published Apr 15, 2026 Updated May 6, 2026 2 min read
3D rendering of hantavirus particles, showing the spherical shape and surface glycoproteins of an Orthohantavirus virion.

Hantaviruses are a group of RNA viruses carried by rodents. People become infected by inhaling virus particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. The infection causes two main syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Americas, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) across Europe and Asia.

Quick answer

Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses in the family Hantaviridae. Each strain is associated with a specific rodent host and a specific geography. Severity ranges from mild flu-like illness to lethal pulmonary or renal disease. Prevention is centered on rodent control and safe cleanup of contaminated spaces. There is no widely available vaccine.

The virus family

The genus Orthohantavirus contains more than 30 named species. Each species circulates in a primary rodent reservoir, in which the virus persists without causing disease. Spillover to humans is rare but can be lethal.

The most clinically relevant strains include:

  • Sin Nombre virus, hosted by the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), causes most HPS cases in North America
  • Andes virus, hosted by the long-tailed pygmy rice rat, causes HPS in southern Argentina and Chile
  • Puumala virus, hosted by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), causes nephropathia epidemica in Northern and Central Europe
  • Dobrava-Belgrade virus, hosted by the yellow-necked mouse, causes severe HFRS in the Balkans
  • Hantaan virus, hosted by the striped field mouse, causes severe HFRS in East Asia
  • Seoul virus, hosted by the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), is found worldwide and causes a moderate HFRS

Stylized rendering of three viral particles with surface proteins, the kind of structural model used to visualize Orthohantavirus virions.

Two syndromes, one virus family

Hantaviruses cause two recognizable disease patterns. The strain determines which one a patient will develop.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome starts with fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, then progresses rapidly to fluid in the lungs and shock. The case fatality rate for HPS in the United States is about 38 percent, according to the CDC.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome typically begins with fever, headache, and back pain, followed by kidney injury and, in severe cases, hemorrhage. Severity varies by strain. Hantaan and Dobrava can be lethal in 5 to 15 percent of cases. Puumala-induced nephropathia epidemica is milder, with mortality below 0.5 percent.

Geography matters

Knowing the strain in your region matters for clinical suspicion. A patient with renal symptoms in Finland is most likely infected with Puumala. A patient with respiratory failure in New Mexico is most likely infected with Sin Nombre. Cross-strain serology exists but is not reliable for fine differentiation.

Why hantaviruses are surveillance-relevant

Outbreaks track rodent population cycles. A wet winter, a good seed crop, or warm weather can drive bank vole or deer mouse populations up, and human cases follow within months. The RKI tracks Puumala activity weekly in Germany. The CDC tracks deer mouse populations through site studies in the southwestern United States.

What this site does

HantaRadar aggregates surveillance reports from WHO Disease Outbreak News, ECDC, CDC, RKI, ProMED, and PAHO. We summarize what each agency publishes, link back to the original report, and explain what the numbers mean for readers in different regions.

This guide is the entry point. The other articles cover symptoms, transmission routes, prevention, testing, and the difference between HPS and HFRS in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Is hantavirus contagious between people?
For most strains, no. The exception is Andes virus in South America, where person to person transmission has been documented. Other hantaviruses are acquired from rodents.
Where does hantavirus occur?
Hantaviruses are found on every inhabited continent. The strain depends on the rodent reservoir: Sin Nombre virus in North America, Puumala and Dobrava in Europe, Hantaan in East Asia, Andes virus in South America.
Is there a vaccine?
An inactivated vaccine against Hantaan virus is licensed in South Korea and China. No hantavirus vaccine is approved in the US or Europe.

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