Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

Programs: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome disease

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses named for the Hantaan River in Korea, where the first strain was discovered decades ago. That strain infected about 3,000 American soldiers during the Korean War, killing 190 by destroying their kidneys. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, caused by a strain of the virus contained in rodent feces and urine, first emerged in the spring of 1993, when it killed dozens of people in the Four Corners region, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. As of the end of 2022, a total of 864 cases have been reported in the United States (CDC, 2022).  California has been the fourth largest state in terms of number of human cases (78 cases) after New Mexico (122 cases), Colorado (119 cases) and Arizona (86 cases). In collaboration with the California Department of Health Services, the Santa Clara County Vector Control District has surveyed for hantavirus. For more information on hantavirus, please follow the links below.​