Hantaviruses are a family of zoonotic viruses primarily spread by rodents that cause severe, often fatal, respiratory or hemorrhagic diseases in humans. Unlike many other viral families, hantaviruses are unique in that each strain is typically associated with a specific rodent host, such as the deer mouse in North America or the bank vole in Europe. Humans generally contract the virus through the inhalation of aerosolized particles from infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, a process frequently triggered when cleaning long-unused spaces like cabins, sheds, or barns where rodents have nested.