Who is affected by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)
Since 1994, when the first case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) was reported in Canada, there have been about 50 cases of HPS in Canada.1
Through July 6, 2005, 396 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) had been reported in the United States.2 The U.S. cases indicate:
- HPS mostly affects adults, but the age of people who develop HPS has ranged from 10 to 83 years old.
- HPS affects both sexes, although males are at a slightly higher risk of developing the illness (63% male and 37% female).
- 77% of the people with HPS have been white, 19% have been American Indian, 2% have been African-American, and 1% have been Asian.
Although the majority of HPS cases occur in western Canada and the southwestern United States, cases have been reported in 31 states.3 Most people who develop HPS either live in rural areas or have visited rural areas within 4 weeks before symptoms of the illness appear.
Other countries also have had outbreaks:
| Author: | Douglas Dana Ralph Poore | Last Updated: May 23, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Tom Bailey, MD - Family Medicine Pierre Rollin, MD - Center's for Disease Control and Prevention | |
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