Hantavirus

In May 1993, a fit young Navajo man was rushed to a New Mexico hospital complaining of breathing problems. Within hours, he was dead. Soon others became infected and died as well. With a mortality rate of 70 percent, the outbreak was especially terrifying. Eventually, it was identified as a type of hantavirus, an infection carried by rodents–in this case deer mice. This discovery allowed people to take preventative measures by keeping their homes clean of the rodents, and the infections subsided. The suspenseful story of the outbreak and the race to find its source is a gripping account of tragedy and heroism and a testament to the ingenuity of the American medical community.