Here’s what you need to know about the infection that killed the wife of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa

Oscar Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa found dead, along with a dog for animals in their home in Santa Fe in Recent Mexico in February 2025, pairing intensive online speculation about the cause of death.

In March, the main medical examiner in Nowy Mexico, Dr. Heather Jerrell, announced that Hackman, who was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, died Hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease – a combination of high blood pressure and the accumulation of the plate in the arteries. Arakawa, however, died about a week before her husband Dumbbell lung syndrome – an infection transmitted to people with Kata rodent, urine and saliva.

It is not known how Arakawa contracted Hantavirus. Usually, (Farmers and forestry employees) are most exposed to exposure to infected rodents.

At least 38 recognized species dumbbells around the world, 24 of them causes a disease in humans. It is considered a sporadic virus, but it will probably also be underestimated in many areas of the world, because the initial symptoms can be mistaken for icy and flu viral infections.

Dumbbells are usually divided into “Old-World” and “New World” Types. Senior World Hantavirus are found in Europe and Asia, including Puumala Hantaviruswhich the Bank Vole uses as a host and Huntana and Seoul virusMoved through the mouse into stripes and a common brown rat. These dumbbells cause hemorrhagic fever with kidney syndrome (HFR) – bleeding from various areas of the body and various levels of kidney impair. Estimated 150,000 people This condition is usually the year reversible. Some patients can develop Nephropathy epidemic – Subtle form of the virus.

The recent world Hantavirus, appearing in North and South America, cause Hantavirus lung syndrome (HPS), which is usually more stern than HFR. It affects the lungs and heart, impairing oxygen around the body. In North America, the most common type of Hantavirus is No name virus SPRINGS through the mouse deer. In South America Andes virusOften transmitted by a long -lasting rice of Pygma, it is usually common.

Hantavirus transmission

The disease is caused by inhalation of rodents feces, urine or saliva – often from disturbing nests of rodents and droppings While cleaning. Rarely, Hantavirus is passed on by bite and scratches infected animals.

A petite number of tests have been documented The spread of man to human from the Andes deformation in South America, but Systematic review Research did not find sufficient evidence of human transmission into human.

The period of incubation of the dumbbrushade is relatively long, Usually two to three weeksBut it can be as long as six weeks. Perhaps that is why cases are insufficiently reported – patients may forget about a potential exposure event. Diagnosis is usually based on symptoms and history, although laboratory tests can detect antibodies to a dumbbell in a human serum.

The virus causes a change in Cell permeability that place blood vessels So the liquid leaked in places, for example lungs and kidneys. It is too reduces the number of plates In the blood, reducing blood clotting so that blood leaks from organs and vessels. Hantavirus seems to to prevent Apoptosis – when the body kills the cells in the response of a viral infection – so the body is not able to get rid of infected cells so effectively as extends the virus.

The heaviness of the virus depends on many factors, at this age and genetic predisposition. People over the age of 70 are He will most likely die dumbbells, and some Human leukocyte antigens– Markers of the immune system that check which cells belong to your body and which do not – show an increased risk of a stern illness.

It is not known how long immunity after hamtviru infection continues, but Immunoglobulin G. antibodies – A type of protein that helps the body in the fight against viruses and bacteria infections – can protect against another symptomatic infection from the same strain. However, taking into account the gigantic number of species of dumbbells, having one form, he would rather not protect against catching another form.

Symptoms

Infection with aged or recent varieties of the world begins with similar viral symptoms: fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, abdominal problems, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Senior and recent strains have different disease progression. Both strains should be treated immediately to reduce the risk of death.

In infections in the aged world leading to HFR, patients go from general symptoms to low blood pressure, and then reduced the power of urine. Patients may need dialysis To protect the kidneys. The infected people will then experience Increased urine power To spotless the excess fluid collected in the previous stage of the disease. Finally, patients enter into Recovery phase With fatigue and muscle pain.

In HPS from the Hantavirus strains in Nowy Świat, symptoms usually appear within eight weeks of exposure. After three to five days of general symptoms, there is a rapid deterioration when the fluid fills the lungs, hindering breathing. Many patients require mechanical ventilation such as Extraneneal oxygenation of the membrane -cigration of maintenance of life in which blood is pumped out of the body to the heart of the heart of the heart. In the final stage of the disease, urine production will escalate significantly when the body tries to excrete excess fluid. Thanks to early treatment, most people from HPS fully recover without lasting effects – but mortality can be like high as 40%.

Procedures

Treatment is focused on the treatment of symptoms during oxygen therapy. The rhine of antiviral drugs showed in the studies More beneficial for HFRS than HPS. AND The dumbbell vaccine lasted In South Korea it generated a good immune response and was well tolerated to prevent HFR, but wider results are unclear.

As always, prevention is better than medicine, and the most effective way to prevent Hantavirus infection in humans is to maintain freedom from rodents. But it is It’s easier to say than to do – Therefore, cleaning with a disinfectant is necessary to ensure that the areas are Free from fluids and rodents. Let the disinfectant or bleach soak the area for at least five minutes before cleaning with lymph materials. Gloves and mask should of course be worn all the time.