hantavirus

noun

han·​ta·​vi·​rus ˈhän-tə-ˌvī-rəs How to pronounce hantavirus (audio) ˈhən- How to pronounce hantavirus (audio) ˈhan- How to pronounce hantavirus (audio)
: any of a family (Hantaviridae and especially genus Orthohantavirus) of bunyaviruses transmitted especially by rodent feces and urine and including viruses causing serious pulmonary disease or hemorrhagic fevers marked by renal necrosis

Examples of hantavirus in a Sentence

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The National Park Service reports that rats can also carry the pathogens hantavirus, leptospirosis, rat bite fever, and salmonellosis to human populations. Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 19 Sep. 2024 Complications include kidney or liver damage, meningitis, and even death Then there are viruses such as hantavirus. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024 Symptoms of hantavirus Particles containing hantavirus get into the air when urine, saliva or poop from deer mice are stirred up, leading to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Shiv Sudhakar, NBC News, 23 July 2024 In addition, San Diego County is reporting higher activity in rodents infected with hantavirus this year, with 17 cases of western harvest mice infected with hantavirus. Shiv Sudhakar, NBC News, 23 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for hantavirus 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from hanta- (from Hantaan, river in South Korea near where rodents carrying the virus were collected 1974–78) + virus

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hantavirus was in 1984

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Cite this Entry

“Hantavirus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hantavirus. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

hantavirus

noun
han·​ta·​vi·​rus ˈhan-tə-ˌvī-rəs How to pronounce hantavirus (audio) ˈhən- How to pronounce hantavirus (audio) ˈhän- How to pronounce hantavirus (audio)
: any of a family (Hantaviridae and especially genus Orthohantavirus) of bunyaviruses that infect specific rodents as their natural hosts and that include some forms causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans following exposure to the virus in airborne particles of rodent urine, feces, or saliva or directly by the bite of a rodent

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