Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

**Definition:** A disease of the respiratory system, caused by infection with certain hantaviruses. This disease is characterised by fever, fatigue, myalgia, headache, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or abdominal pain. This disease may also present with coughing and dyspnoea. Transmission is by the faecal-oral route or airborne transmission.

**Long definition:** Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans caused by infection with multiple closely related hantaviruses. HPS is characterized by a febrile prodrome followed by the rapid onset of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and hypotension or shock.