Sin Nombre viral RNA load in patients with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome

Abstract

To address the role that viral load plays in pathogenesis in patients with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), we quantified Sin Nombre virus S segment viral RNA in plasma samples from 27 acutely ill patients. For 6 patients, we examined viral load in matched plasma, urine, and/or tracheal aspirate throughout the time when the patients were in intensive care. Peak titers in plasma reached 1.8 × 106 copies/mL; none of the patients had viral RNA in urine. Titers in tracheal aspirates did not exceed 8 × 104 copies/mL. We found a statistically significant association (P