A Spanish version of the guide is also available. Hantavirus, a rodentborne viral disease, has a case-fatality ratio of 43 percent. The report emphasizes that the number of cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has increased in 1999 and discusses the importance of physician awareness and early detection in the treatment of patients with the infection. The illness most often begins with a prodrome of headache, fever and myalgia that is followed by pulmonary edema, which often leads to severe respiratory compromise. The CDC report discusses the need for renewed awareness to reduce the risk for hantavirus exposure.
Illness can occur after inhaling infectious aerosols from rodent saliva or excreta.
Risk for the disease is greatest in areas where people are more likely to come in contact with the infectious rodents. The CDC recommends increased efforts to educate the public, especially residents of rural areas in the southwestern United States. Clifton Rd., N.E., Atlanta, GA 30333. Treatment with 25 to 50 mg of rofecoxib daily was associated with a significantly lower percentage of gastroduodenal ulcers than treatment with ibuprofen. There were a few cases of serious gastrointestinal bleeding and one case of obstruction in the patients who received rofecoxib.