The cause of the deaths of 95-year-old actor Jean Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman (65).
Hackmann was first killed by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and advanced Alzheimer’s disease (HPS), according to New Mexico authorities.
According to Dr. Rhys Parry, a molecular virologist at the University of Queensland in Australia, hantaviruses include a group of viruses carried primarily by rodents.
Jean Hackman’s Death Timeline: The Actor’s Last Day with Wife
Most hantaviruses found in North, Central and South America, where Hackman’s wife has been discovered, can cause HPS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The Hantavilus, which can be found all over the United States, is not known to spread among people,” the CDC said.
The cause of death of actor Jean Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman, 65, has been revealed. (Getty Images)
According to the above sources, HPS has a fatality rate of almost 40% in people infected with HPS.
How Hantavirus spreads
“Huntabilus usually spreads when humans breathe viral particles from disturbed rodent urine, feces, or nesting material,” Parry told Fox News Digital.
The fatal virus sample went missing from the lab for “major biosecurity violations,” authorities say
The CDC lists the following potential spreading mechanisms:
After placing contaminated objects in rodents, breathe contaminated air before biting, biting, biting, biting, biting, biting nose, biting, biting, biting, and biting mouth of infected rodents contaminated with viruses
Hackmann was found to suffer from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease along with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, but his wife likely died from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome first. (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ox Archives/Getty Images)
Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst and professor of clinical medicine at Nyu Langone Health and Fox News, agreed that Hantavirus spreads through dust from rodent saliva, urine and places of contact.
The most common type of rodent to carry it in the US is deer mice, doctors pointed out.
Early symptoms of hantavirus include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems.
Most hantavirus cases are seen in rural areas, with rodents likely to enter homes and barns, the CDC said.
Both experts agreed that Hantavirus infection is “incredibly rare.”
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“This is a pretty sad situation,” Parry pointed out. “To be honest, I was impressed that they were able to determine that it was HP after the fact.”
Siegel added: “It rarely affects humans because only a portion of the rodents have it, and not all of them come into contact with it.
Symptoms and treatment
Early symptoms of hantavirus include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems, which appear one to eight weeks after exposure.
“These progress to serious respiratory symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath and lung fluid after 4 to 10 days,” he said.
Hantaviruses include a group of viruses carried primarily by rodents, which can cause severe respiratory or renal disease in humans. (istock)
The Sin Nombre virus is the most common hantavirus in the United States, which causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome with a mortality rate of approximately 38%.
“It usually happens that when the lungs are filled with fluid and reach organs with respiratory failure and insufficient oxygen, it can be fatal,” Parry pointed out.
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Experts said early intensive care with oxygen therapy and support measurements was extremely important, but there is no specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus.
“Intensive care is important because patients with sudden acute illnesses can quickly become severely ill and die,” the CDC said.
Hantavirus can cause severe illness, bleeding fever, kidney disease or Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. (istock)
“If a patient is experiencing complete distress, it is unlikely that treatment will be effective.”
Supportive care includes monitoring cardiac function, administering fluids and oxygen, and placing patients on a ventilator if necessary.
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Patients may receive a wide range of antibiotic therapies, fever-reducing agents, and painkillers.
“Prevention focuses on controlling rodents, proper cleaning of infected areas with protective equipment, and avoiding exposure to rodent habitat,” Parry added.
