Animals Involved
Rodents; each virus tends to be associated with a single reservoir host
Known Distributions
North and South America
Probable Means of Spreading
Aerosols from rodent excretions and secretions; contact with broken skin and mucous membranes; rodent bites
Clinical Manifestations in People
Prodromal stage with nonspecific febrile illness; followed by respiratory failure, cardiac abnormalities; hemorrhagic signs possible with South American viruses; significant kidney disease uncommon; mortality rate varies with the virus, but can reach 40%–60%