An acute infection caused by the hantavirus, which is transmitted from rodents to humans. Hantaviruses have been found in wild rodents, including deer mice, rats, and moles throughout the world. Rodents transmit hantavirus via the respiratory route, and humans contract it through inhalation of infectious airborne droplets of saliva or urine or through dust from feces of infected wild rodents, especially deer mice. The virus is sometimes transmitted when broken skin comes into contact with contaminated material or when contaminated food or water are ingested. Person-to-person transmission is also possible, but has not occurred in North America.