hantavirus

noun

han·​ta·​vi·​rus ˈhän-tə-ˌvī-rəs  ˈhən-  ˈhan- 

: 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

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Most cases of hantavirus are reported in the Western and Southwestern United States. —Shiv Sudhakar, NBC News, 23 July 2024

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

Medical Definition

hantavirus

noun

han·​ta·​vi·​rus ˈhan-tə-ˌvī-rəs  ˈhən-  ˈhän- 

: 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