Hantavirus exposure risk may be higher than believed in parts of US, study finds

Researchers at Washington State University discovered unexpectedly high levels of Sin Nombre virus (hantavirus) in rodent populations in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest, with nearly 30% of sampled rodents showing prior exposure and 10% having active infections. The findings suggest greater hantavirus exposure risk in surrounding agricultural communities than previously believed. The study was published in 2026 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a CDC peer-reviewed journal.