Information for Health Care Workers

Each year, CDC collects information on hantavirus infections from state health departments in the United States through the Nationally Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). This information is published annually on the NNDSS Data and Statistics website. When a case of hantavirus infection is reported in the United States, CDC’s Viral Special Pathogens Branch (VSPB) collects data from the reporting states to better understand patterns, risk factors, and other aspects of hantavirus disease in the United States.

Hantavirus Case Definition

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), commonly referred to as hantavirus disease, is a febrile illness characterized by bilateral interstitial pulmonary infiltrates and respiratory compromise, while non-HPS hantavirus infection is a febrile illness with non-specific viral symptoms including fever, chills, myalgia, headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms, but no cardio-pulmonary symptoms. The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) provides surveillance case definitions for both illnesses to help public health officials classify and count cases consistently across reporting jurisdictions.

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) Case Definition (2015)
• Non-HPS hantavirus infection Clinical Case Definition (2015)

Specimen Submission

The CDC’s Viral Special Pathogens Branch (VSPB) performs a variety of diagnostic techniques for hantavirus infection. VSPB cannot accept specimens without prior consultation.

If hantavirus is confirmed, we request that you complete a Hantavirus Case Report Form pdf icon[PDF – 1 page]. This form is not required for submission of specimens.

State Health Departments

Learn more about submitting specimens to VSPB for testing.

U.S. Physicians

Please contact your state health department before sending specimens to CDC.