Related Experiment Videos
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: the first 100 US cases
A S Khan1, R F Khabbaz, L R Armstrong
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|June 1, 1996
Summary
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) emerged in the US in 1993, affecting 21 states with a 52% fatality rate. This analysis details its epidemiology, seasonality, and the identification of three new pathogenic hantaviruses.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Virology
Background:
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) emerged in the southwestern United States in 1993.
- The disease had been unrecognized since at least 1959, with a distinct spring-early summer seasonality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical entity and etiology of HPS.
- To analyze the epidemiology and characteristics of the first 100 US cases.
Main Methods:
- Multiagency investigation and case analysis.
- Serologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular testing for etiological confirmation.
- Analysis of demographic data, geographic distribution, and seasonality.
Main Results:
- HPS was identified in 21 states, with cases unrecognized since 1959.
- The disease predominantly affected males (54%), Caucasians (63%), and Native Americans (35%), with an average age of 34.9 years.
- The overall case-fatality rate was 52%, with high concordance across diagnostic methods; three new pathogenic hantaviruses were identified.
Conclusions:
- HPS in the US is caused by at least three distinct hantaviruses with specific rodent hosts.
- Cases have been recently recognized in Canada and South America.
- Ongoing national surveillance is crucial for understanding HPS epidemiology and clinical spectrum.