General · Texas behavioral health news

Hantavirus Frequently Asked Questions

Texas DSHS · By Ilza.Garcia · May 13, 2026

Hantavirus Frequently Asked Questions Ilza.Garcia Wed, 05/13/2026 - 03:33 PM Hantavirus Frequently Asked Questions This page provides information about Hantavirus Frequently Asked Questions . Hantaviruses are viruses that can cause serious illness and even death. People can become sick with hantavirus infection if they have contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents, such as rats and mice. There are many kinds of hantaviruses worldwide that can make people sick, including the Sin Nombre virus in North America and the Andes virus in South America. The question-and-answer sections presented below contain information about hantavirus disease and how to prevent it. About Hantavirus When was hantavirus detected in the United States? Hantavirus was first detected in the United States in 1993. At that time, human cases were occurring in the Four Corners area of the Southwest (the point where Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico meet). The first case of human hant