Who Is Affected by Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Through July 5, 2011, 572 cases of
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) had been reported
in the United States.1
- HPS affects
both genders, although males are at a higher risk of developing the
illness (63% male and 37% female).
- 78% of the people with HPS have
been white, 18% have been American Indian, 2% have been African American, and
1% have been Asian.
Although the majority of HPS cases occur in the southwestern
United States, cases have been reported in 33 states.1
Most people who develop HPS either live in rural areas or have visited rural
areas during the 4 weeks before symptoms of the illness appear.
Other
countries also have had confirmed cases of HPS, including:2
- Canada, mainly in the western provinces.
- South American countries Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, and Bolivia.
- Panama.
Citations
-
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Case information: Hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome case count and descriptive statistics. All About Hantaviruses. Available online:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/noframes/caseinfo.htm.
-
World Health Organization (2004). Number of Cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) (Region of the Americas, 1993–2004). Available online: http://www.paho.org/common/Display.asp?Lang=E&RecID=1971.
|
By
|
Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
|
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
|
Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology |
|
Last Revised
|
February 22, 2012 |
Last Revised:
February 22, 2012
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (2007). Case information: Hantavirus pulmonary
syndrome case count and descriptive statistics. All About Hantaviruses. Available online:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/noframes/caseinfo.htm.
World Health Organization (2004). Number of Cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) (Region of the Americas, 1993–2004). Available online: http://www.paho.org/common/Display.asp?Lang=E&RecID=1971.
