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BACKGROUND: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is caused by a virus from the order Bunyavirales, family Hantaviridae. It was first described in 1993 during an outbreak in the United States and now has more than fifteen serotypes across the Americas, with high mortality and variable prevalence. Infected rodents carry the virus and, due to climate change and migration patterns, come into closer contact with humans. The virus has endothelial tropism in the respiratory system, leading to pulmonary infiltrates and thrombocytopenia, progressing to noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and shock within a few days. Currently, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for hantavirus infection.
OBJECTIVES: To present the origin of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, understand its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations, and review diagnostic methods and possible treatments.
DESIGN: We utilized medical search engines such as PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, and Scielo, limiting results to scientific articles published in English and Spanish. A total of 148 publications, including case reports, observational studies, and experimental research, were collected from 2010 to 2020.
CONCLUSION: Hantavirus infections are varied in terms of evolution, reservoirs, transmission modes, risk factors, global distribution, and primary endemic areas. Understanding these factors enables the development of public health strategies. Hantavirus is not only a zoonotic but also an emerging disease, requiring multidisciplinary management for the implementation of new therapies.
