HANTAVIRUS TRANSMISSION IN THE UNITED-STATES

In 1996, investigation of a hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) outbre ak in southern Argentina found evidence of person-to-person transmissi on of a hantavirus. The infection control ramifications of this findin g led to this review of hantavirus epidemiology in the United States; the review suggests that Sin Nombre virus infection is rarely, if ever , transmitted from person to person and that existing guidelines for p revention of HPS remain appropriate for North America.