I Survived Hantavirus as a Child—the Traumatic Memory Has Never Left Me
Summary
Alyce Collins shares her childhood experience surviving hantavirus, a rare and serious illness caused by contact with infected rodents or their droppings. She was diagnosed with hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome after severe symptoms, including bleeding and kidney problems, led to her hospitalization.Key Facts
- Hantavirus is caused by contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings, or saliva.
- There are two main types: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (35-40% death rate) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (1-15% death rate).
- The author fell ill at age 5 with vomiting, weakness, bleeding, rash, and swelling.
- Initial doctors misdiagnosed her illness as flu before hantavirus was identified.
- She was hospitalized for about a week and treated in a children’s hospital.
- The virus can cause fever, bleeding, kidney failure, and can be deadly.
- Her case was studied for future reference because the disease is rare.
- The author likely caught the virus by playing outside where infected rodents were present.
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