Running Head: HANTAVIRUS 1
NR 503 Week 5 Assignment: Infectious Disease Paper
Infectious Disease: Hantavirus
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR 503 Population Health Epidemiology and Statistical Principles
, HANTAVIRUS 2
Infectious Disease: Hantavirus
Nurse practitioners play an important role in disease prevention, recognition, and
treatment. Infectious diseases can present a challenge for healthcare providers. For this reason, it
is essential that providers familiarize themselves with diseases that may be common in their
communities. This knowledge gives practitioners the information necessary to prevent, screen,
and treat illnesses. This paper will discuss hantavirus in detail, as well as the epidemiological
triangle and the role of the nurse practitioner plays in infectious disease.
Hantavirus
Hantaviruses are an infectious disease carried by rodents (Hartline, Mierek, Knutson, &
Kang, 2013; Woten & Schub, 2018). Woten and Schub further explain the deer mouse is the
rodent that is typically responsible for spreading hantavirus in the United States (U.S.).
Hantavirus can cause one of two potentially fatal conditions in humans: hemorrhagic fever with
renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) (Brocato & Hooper, 2019).
The virus is spread to humans through urine, saliva, or inhaled feces of rodents who carry the
virus (Woten & Schub, 2018). While hantavirus can be transmitted to humans easily, there have
been no reports of human-to-human transmission in the United States (Hartline et al., 2013).
Initially, the symptoms of hantavirus are similar for HFRS and HPS. Both illnesses start
with a fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, and abdominal pain (Hartline et al., 2013; Sangianou
et al., 2012; Woten & Schub, 2018). Later symptoms of HFRS include thrombocytopenia, low
blood pressure, and, eventually, kidney failure (Malinin & Platonov, 2017). Difficulty breathing,
elevated respiratory and heart rates, cough, amber-colored sputum, and crackles when
auscultating lung sounds are late symptoms of HPS (Woten & Schub, 2018).
Treatment of the hantavirus is comprised of symptom management (Hartline et al., 2013;
Sargianou et al, 2012; Woten & Schub, 2018). For HFRS, the treatment plan may include
electrolyte and fluid replacement, blood pressure management, oxygenation, and dialysis
NR 503 Week 5 Assignment: Infectious Disease Paper
Infectious Disease: Hantavirus
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR 503 Population Health Epidemiology and Statistical Principles
, HANTAVIRUS 2
Infectious Disease: Hantavirus
Nurse practitioners play an important role in disease prevention, recognition, and
treatment. Infectious diseases can present a challenge for healthcare providers. For this reason, it
is essential that providers familiarize themselves with diseases that may be common in their
communities. This knowledge gives practitioners the information necessary to prevent, screen,
and treat illnesses. This paper will discuss hantavirus in detail, as well as the epidemiological
triangle and the role of the nurse practitioner plays in infectious disease.
Hantavirus
Hantaviruses are an infectious disease carried by rodents (Hartline, Mierek, Knutson, &
Kang, 2013; Woten & Schub, 2018). Woten and Schub further explain the deer mouse is the
rodent that is typically responsible for spreading hantavirus in the United States (U.S.).
Hantavirus can cause one of two potentially fatal conditions in humans: hemorrhagic fever with
renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) (Brocato & Hooper, 2019).
The virus is spread to humans through urine, saliva, or inhaled feces of rodents who carry the
virus (Woten & Schub, 2018). While hantavirus can be transmitted to humans easily, there have
been no reports of human-to-human transmission in the United States (Hartline et al., 2013).
Initially, the symptoms of hantavirus are similar for HFRS and HPS. Both illnesses start
with a fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, and abdominal pain (Hartline et al., 2013; Sangianou
et al., 2012; Woten & Schub, 2018). Later symptoms of HFRS include thrombocytopenia, low
blood pressure, and, eventually, kidney failure (Malinin & Platonov, 2017). Difficulty breathing,
elevated respiratory and heart rates, cough, amber-colored sputum, and crackles when
auscultating lung sounds are late symptoms of HPS (Woten & Schub, 2018).
Treatment of the hantavirus is comprised of symptom management (Hartline et al., 2013;
Sargianou et al, 2012; Woten & Schub, 2018). For HFRS, the treatment plan may include
electrolyte and fluid replacement, blood pressure management, oxygenation, and dialysis
