What is hantavirus, the rare disease that killed Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman's wife?

Officials announced Friday that Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman’s wife, had died of hantavirus — ending speculation astir the circumstances surrounding her decease portion sparking caller questions astir the uncommon rodent-spread disease.

Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a illness that attacks the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, Dr. Heather Jarrell, main aesculapian examiner astatine the New Mexico aesculapian investigator’s office, said astatine a quality conference.

The information is uncommon but deadly — with a mortality complaint ranging betwixt 38% and 50% among those infected successful the American Southwest, she said.

Hantaviruses are a household of viruses dispersed by rodent feces, saliva and urine, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most hantaviruses recovered successful the United States tin origin hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

People tin declaration the syndrome by breathing successful the aerial erstwhile cleaning up aft rodents. It tin besides beryllium dispersed by touching contaminated objects and past touching your chemoreceptor oregon mouth, getting bitten oregon scratched by an infected rodent oregon eating nutrient contaminated with hantavirus, according to the CDC.

Erin Phipps, New Mexico authorities nationalist wellness veterinarian, noted that Arakawa and Hackman’s location had a “low risk” of vulnerability to hantavirus, but said determination were signs of rodents successful different structures connected the property. She said that, successful the past 5 years, New Mexico has confirmed 1 to 7 hantavirus cases annually.

The cervid rodent is the astir communal vector of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome successful the U.S., according to the CDC.

People typically statesman experiencing symptoms 1 to 8 weeks aft exposure. Early symptoms see fatigue, fever and musculus aches, and tin advancement to vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of enactment and tightness successful the thorax arsenic lungs statesman to capable with fluid, according to the CDC.

While determination is nary circumstantial attraction for the virus, patients tin beryllium supported with rest, hydration and different treatments to negociate their symptoms, according to the CDC. In much terrible cases, intubation whitethorn beryllium indispensable assistance with breathing.

The hazard of vulnerability tin beryllium minimized by sealing immoderate areas of the location wherever rodents whitethorn participate and utilizing traps to wide infestations, according to the CDC.

Arakawa, 65, ran errands connected Feb. 11, but has nary grounds of activities afterwards, starring wellness officials to judge that was erstwhile she died. Hackman, 95, died from bosom disease, apt days afterward, arsenic his pacemaker past showed enactment connected Feb. 18, officials said.

The couple’s bodies were discovered successful their Santa Fe, N.M., location connected Feb. 26. One of their 3 dogs was besides recovered dead.