LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — A dangerous virus typically found in rodents has now been confirmed in a human in Arkansas, and it's the first of its kind detected in the state.
It's called Hantavirus and it is known across the world, but researchers here discovered it in the northwest part of the state.
In 2020, a University of Arkansas research team set out to find out what kinds of Hantaviruses were in the Natural State.
"I was going out and catching rodents with the goal of finding out what Hantaviruses they were infected with. So I didn't expect to find a new one in them," said lead researching student, Nathaniel Mull.
A virus that had never been seen before is now named the Ozark virus. Researchers found it in hispid cotton rats in the Ozarks.
Typically, Hantaviruses spread only within the animals' species, usually through droppings and saliva. Still, it can spread to humans too. It is mainly transmitted to people when they breathe in air that is contaminated with the virus.
So far, Arkansas has one confirmed case of a human infected with the virus.
"So, it looks like severe flu that may develop into cardio-pulmonary symptoms or complications," said Kristian Forbes, the leader of the research team.
When a person is infected with the virus they can develop a disease called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. If left untreated, a person could develop shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs.
There's no known human-to-human transmission of Hantavirus, and experts explained that though there's a 38% risk of death, the virus can be treated.