Ms. Arakawa, the wife of the actor Gene Hackman, died from the effects of a disease often caused by contact with droppings from infected rodents.

The partially mummified bodies of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered in February at their home in New Mexico.

Betsy Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome at the age of 65, New Mexico health authorities said. Here’s what to know about the rare but deadly disease.

Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-spread disease with a mortality rate up to 50% in the American Southwest, officials said.

There are at least 38 recognized species of hantavirus across the world, 24 of which cause disease in humans. It’s considered a rare virus but it’s also likely to be underdiagnosed in many areas of the world because the initial symptoms can be mistaken for cold and flu-like viral infections.

Hantavirus comes from contact with rodents — such as rats and mice — especially after exposure to their urine, droppings, and saliva.

The suspected way Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, caught the rare disease that led to her death has been revealed.

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