Betsy Arakawa, the wife of the actor Gene Hackman, died in February 2025 due to pulmonary syndrome caused by Hantavirus, a usually widespread disease, the forensic said at a press conference.
Gene Hackman and wife, Betsy Arakawa/Photo: Profimedia
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died a week away for different causes, in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last month, authorities said on Friday.
Gene Hackman died at the age of 95, around February 18 due to a “cardiovascular disease hypertensive and atherosclerotic, Alzheimer’s disease being a significant factor ”said Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief of investigation.
His wife, Betsy Arakawa, died on February 11, 2025 due to pulmonary syndrome caused by Hantavirus. It is not known how the woman contacted the disease. Usually, (farmers and forest workers) are the most exposed to the risk of exposure to infected rodents.
According to The Conversation, there are at least 38 species recognized by Hantavirus worldwide, of which 24 causes diseases in humans. It is considered a rare virus, but it is also likely to be underdiagnosed in many areas of the world, because the initial symptoms can be confused with colds and influenza -like viral infections.
Hantaviruses are divided by the area of origin, ie from Europe, Asia and the Puumala Hantavirus, which uses the field mice as a host, as well as the Hantaan virus and the Seoul virus, worn by the Vărgat field mice and the common brown rat.
The virus causes a hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) – bleeding from different areas of the body and varying degrees of renal impairment. Estimated to affect 150,000 people annually, this condition is usually reversible. Some patients may develop epidemic non -hropathia – a lighter form of the virus.
On the other hand, the hazards in the “New World”, encountered in North and South America, cause pulmonary syndrome caused by Hantavirus (HPS), which tends to be more severe than HFRS.
The virus affects the lungs and the heart, more precisely the transport of oxygen in the body. In North America, the most common type of hazetavirus is the Sin Nombre virus, spread by the deer mice. In South America, the Andes virus, often transmitted by the long -tailed pyigmeal rat is the most common.
How to transmit
The disease is caused by inhalation of feces, urine or saliva of rodents – often due to disturbing nests and rodent droppings during cleanliness. Rarely, the hazons is transmitted through bites and scratches from infected animals.
Following the study of research on the Adnes stem in South America, it was found that there is not sufficient evidence to confirm that it can be transmitted from man to human. The incubation period of the hazetavirus is relatively long, usually two to three weeks, but it can reach up to six weeks, which is also the reason for under -rating cases.
The diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and historically, although laboratory tests can detect antibodies to the Hantavirus in the human serum.
The virus causes a change in the permeability of cells lining the blood vessels, so that the liquid flows into places where they should not, such as lungs and kidneys. It also reduces the number of platelets in the blood, reducing blood coagulation, so that the blood flows from organs and vessels.
Hantavirus also seems to prevent apoptosis – when the body kills cells in response to viral infection – so that the body cannot get rid of infected cells as effectively, which extends the virus.
People over the age of 70 are the most prone to hating, while some human leukocyte antigens – the markers of the immune system that check which cells belong to the body and which do not – have an increased risk of severe disease.
symptom
In the case of infections in the “old world” leading to HFRS, symptoms are decreased blood pressure and then decreased urinary flow. Patients may need dialysis to protect the kidneys. The infected will then present an increased urinary flow to remove excess liquid collected in the anterior stage of the disease. Finally, patients enter the convalescence phase with fatigue and muscle pain.
In the case of HPS, the symptoms appear eight weeks after exposure, being a speedy damage, as the liquid fills the lungs, making the breathing difficult. Many patients require mechanical ventilation, such as oxygenation with extracorporeal membrane – a type of vital support in which the blood is pumped outside the body to a heart -pulmon apparatus.
In the final stage of the disease, urine production will increase significantly, because the body tries to eliminate excess fluid. With an early treatment, most people with SHP are completely recovered, without lasting effects, but the mortality rate can reach 40%.
How can it be prevented and treated
The best way to prevent haţatvirus infection is to keep the surroundings devoid of rodents. Disinfectant cleaning is essential to ensure that areas are lacking fluid and rodent feces. Allow the disinfector or bleach to soften the area for at least five minutes before cleaning with absorbent materials. Of course, gloves must be worn and a mask permanently.
In the case of treatment, it is oriented towards managing symptoms with oxygen therapy. Ribavirin antiviral drugs have proven to be more beneficial for HFRS than for HPS. In South Korea, the anti-Hantavirus vaccine is used, which has generated a good immune response and has been well tolerated for HFRS prevention, but the wider results are unclear.
