Hantavirus
Alternative Names
Hantavirus pulmonary syndromeSymptoms
- Chills
- Dry cough
- Fever
- General ill feeling (malaise)
- Headache
- History of exposure to mice droppings, nest, or contaminated dust
- Muscle aches
- Rapid shallow breathing
- Respiratory failure
- Shortness of breath
Exams and Tests
A doctor may notice signs of:
- Hypoxia (decreased levels of oxygen in the blood, causing the skin to have a bluish tinge)
- Hypotension (decreased blood pressure)
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Tests include:
- CBC (will show elevated white blood count)
- Platelet count (will be less than 150,000 and decreasing)
- X-ray of the chest (may show material invading the lungs, involving both lungs)
- Liver enzymes (LDH will be elevated)
- Serum albumin (levels will be decreased)
- Hematocrit (will be increased, showing an increase in the levels of red blood cells)
- Serological testing for hantavirus
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