Four Corners Virus: A Case Study

1. Anywhere you go you will always come in contact with an area that has been contaminated by something. This can be from someone’s dirty hands from poor hygiene to the mold that we are unaware that we are breathing in. But what about that fresh air you are breathing when you go on that hike in the woods? According to the CDC (2012), the airborne virus Hantavirus (HPS) can be located in areas such as forests, fields, and farms. This virus comes from rodents, so you may find this in the air in any habitat that is suitable for them to live. In 1993 the first case of HPS was reported to the United States as well as other countries and since then there have been studies done to see what type of specific environment is the cause of this virus (Riquelme, R., Rioseco, M. L., Bastidas, L., Trincado, D., Rquelme, M., Loyola, H., & Valdivieso, F. 2015). This outbreak first happened in the Four Corners area in the southwestern United States and was originally named “Four Corners virus” however, local authorities complained about the name and the name “Sin Nombre” was later adopted (Spanish for no name) (Tortora G.J., Berdell F.R., Christine C.L 2013). Early symptoms of

HPS is an emerging virus that is transmitted to humans by coming in contact with a rodent that is infected with the virus. Once this virus is transmitted to humans it can cause two different types of clinical syndromes, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) (Kruger D., Schonrich G., Klempa B. 2011). When you are first infected with HPS it doesn’t cause your Dendritic cell (DC) to have a loss in function, however, it will initiate in your immune system. When you are infected the HPS it induces your DC to maturation then uses the DC to serve as a vehicle to migrate to the regional lymph nodes once the infected DC reach this area the immune response will be to release virus-specific antibodies and T cells according to Kruger D., Schonrich G., Klempa B.