Virus
Hantavirus
Bunyavirus, deer mouse, pulmonary syndrome
HAN-tuh-VY-rus
High-yield clue
Rodent-associated bunyavirus inhaled from aerosolized excreta; New World strains (e.g., deer mouse Sin Nombre) classically cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Overview
A negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus (genus Orthohantavirus, family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales) with a segmented genome, studied as a rodent-borne agent of pulmonary and renal syndromes.
Classification
- Hantaviridae
- Order Bunyavirales
- Genus Orthohantavirus
- Negative-sense ssRNA
- Tri-segmented, enveloped
Lab & identification clues
- Segmented negative-sense bunyavirus genome vocabulary
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) framing
- Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) framing
Associations
- Rodent reservoirs, each virus with its own host (deer mouse for Sin Nombre)
- Inhalation of aerosolized rodent excreta transmission
- Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome vocabulary (New World)
- Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome vocabulary (Old World)
Commonly confused with
- Lassa virus
- Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus
Frequently asked questions
What is Hantavirus?
A negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus (genus Orthohantavirus, family Hantaviridae, order Bunyavirales) with a segmented genome, studied as a rodent-borne agent of pulmonary and renal syndromes.
What are the lab clues for Hantavirus?
Lab clues for Hantavirus include Segmented negative-sense bunyavirus genome vocabulary, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) framing, and Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) framing.
What is Hantavirus commonly confused with?
Hantavirus is commonly confused with Lassa virus and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.