Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

     Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is caused by a strain of RNA virus in the Bunyaviridae family. There are at least 6 hantavirus strains that are native to “Old World” rodents and at least 8 that are indigenous to American rodents. 

They cause different diseases including Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome which is another type of hemorrhagic fever. There are four different strains of the Hantavirus that have been found to cause HPS in the Unites States. However the first virus that causesd HPS was first found May 14, 1993 when a cluster of 3 unexplained pulmonary deaths occurring in the Four Corners region of the United States was reported. (Oldstone 136) In addition to the kidney disease and hemorrhagic fever associated with other types of Hantavirus, the HPS strain caused acute lung injury. The new HPS strain carried about a 50% mortality rate. It was initially called the Four Corners Virus, but the name was changed to Sin Nombre virus for political considerations.