First Human Case Of Sin Nombre Hantavirus Reported In Michigan

Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the first human case of Sin Nombre hantavirus in Michigan.

According to WXYZ 7, a woman in Washtenaw County was hospitalized with a serious pulmonary illness from the virus.

Health officials say she likely contracted the virus when cleaning an unoccupied dwelling that contained signs of an active rodent infestation.

The virus was first discovered in 1993 and is responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The infection is spread when humans come into contact with infected rodents or breathe in air contaminated with the virus.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, says, "HPS is caused by some strains of hantavirus and is a rare but severe and sometimes fatal respiratory disease that can occur one to five weeks after a person has exposure to fresh urine, droppings or saliva from infected rodents."

HPS symptoms can include fever, chills, body aches, headache, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. If the illness continues, coughing and shortness of breath can also occur.

The CDC says the hantavirus cannot be transmitted from one person to another. For example, you cannot get the virus from sharing drinks or touching a person who has HPS.

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