HantaAtlas
Hantavirus symptoms depend on the type of virus and the disease form it causes. The two main clinical forms are Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS/HCPS) and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS).
Early symptoms can resemble the flu and typically appear 1–8 weeks after exposure to infected rodents or contaminated environments.
Symptoms do not usually appear immediately after exposure. For HPS, they typically occur 1–6 weeks after exposure, but may appear as early as one week and as late as eight weeks.
Sources: CDC — About Hantavirus · WHO — 2026 Outbreak Notice
Early symptoms can look similar to flu-like illness and may include:
Sources: CDC — About Hantavirus · CDC — Clinician Brief: HPS · WHO
After the early phase, HPS can progress to serious respiratory complications:
HPS can be severe and may be fatal in nearly 4 out of 10 infected people who develop the syndrome.
Sources: CDC — About Hantavirus · CDC — Clinician Brief: HPS
HFRS is another form of hantavirus disease, mainly affecting the kidneys. It is more commonly associated with hantaviruses in Europe and Asia.
Symptoms may include:
In more severe cases:
Sources: CDC — HFRS · ECDC — Factsheet on Orthohantavirus Infections
Seek medical help urgently if you develop any of the following after possible contact with rodents, rodent droppings, urine, saliva, or contaminated dust:
Tell your doctor about any recent exposure to rodents or cleaning of basements, garages, sheds, cabins, storage rooms, or other places where rodents may have been present.
Hantavirus infection can begin with flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, it can progress to coughing, shortness of breath, respiratory distress, low blood pressure, or kidney problems.
Anyone with symptoms after possible rodent exposure should contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Items recommended for high-risk areas and rodent clean-up tasks.
