What Is Hantavirus, The Infection That Has Killed Three People On A Cruise Ship?

What is hantavirus?

Orthohantaviruses, much commonly known arsenic hantaviruses, are a group of viruses chiefly recovered successful rodents, but which tin infect humans. According to Prof Adam Taylor of Lancaster University, location are astatine slightest 38 recognised species of hantavirus globally, 24 of which cause illness successful humans. Rodents specified arsenic mice, rats and voles are nan earthy reservoirs for nan viruses.

Dr Yomani Sarathkumara, a postdoctoral investigation chap astatine nan University of Queensland, said hantavirus infections were “really uncommon successful humans”, and were often misdiagnosed successful tropical countries arsenic different infections, specified arsenic leptospirosis, which is besides dispersed by animals.

How is nan microorganism dispersed and what are nan symptoms of hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are dispersed to humans via inhalation of aliases interaction pinch infected rodent faeces, urine and saliva – or, much rarely, done bites and scratches from contaminated animals.

“Agricultural communities crossed nan world are astatine higher risk,” Sarathkumara said – arsenic a consequence of higher likelihood of vulnerability to infected rodents.

Associate Prof Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist astatine Monash University Malaysia, said hantaviruses were “typically an biology vulnerability linked to rodents”, and “do not usually dispersed easy from personification to personification successful nan measurement that you spot flu aliases Covid-19 does”.

There are 2 awesome lineages of hantavirus: aged world hantaviruses and caller world hantaviruses.

Old world hantaviruses are recovered successful Europe and Asia – these see puumala hantavirus, Hantaan virus, and Seoul virus. In humans, they typically origin haemorrhagic fever pinch renal syndrome (HFRS), which affects nan kidneys. Symptoms tin see aggravated headaches, backmost and abdominal symptom and fever, and imaginable kidney damage.

New world hantaviruses are recovered successful nan Americas, and usually origin hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The astir communal type successful South America is nan Andes virus, which is chiefly dispersed by nan long-tailed pygmy atom rat.

“New world hantaviruses origin really quickly progressive pulmonary syndrome and respiratory failure,” Balasubramaniam said. Early on, an infection whitethorn origin flu-like symptoms specified arsenic fever, fatigue and musculus aches, which makes “early test really difficult”, he said.

In March 2025, Betsy Arakawa, nan woman of character Gene Hackman, was recovered to person died successful their Santa Fe location from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, anterior to nan decease of her husband, who had Alzheimer’s, successful nan absence of her care.

Hantaviruses tin person agelong incubation periods – betwixt 1 and 8 weeks long, Balasubramaniam said.

According to Taylor: “A mini number of studies person documented human-to-human spread of nan Andes strain successful South America, but a systematic review of nan investigation didn’t find capable grounds of human-to-human transmission.”

How did nan hantavirus outbreak connected nan cruise vessel occur?

The WHO said an investigation into nan suspected hantavirus outbreak connected MV Hondius was nether way. Though we don’t yet cognize precisely really it occurred, Balasubramaniam said: “There are a mates of biologically plausible possibilities.”

The first is nan anticipation of rodent contamination successful nan alloy itself – “if infected rodents had entree to retention areas … cabins and different enclosed spaces”.

The 2nd is – because of nan agelong incubation periods of hantaviruses – that nan outbreak “might not person needfully originated from nan vessel itself”, Balasubramaniam said. “Passengers aliases unit members could theoretically beryllium exposed during land-based activities.”

The 3rd – but slightest apt – is person-to-person transmission. “This is plausible theoretically but it’s highly [unlikely],” Balasubramaniam said.

“The main consequence is disturbing contaminated rodent materials … successful adjacent aliases poorly ventilated spaces,” he said. “The consequence is not usually from conscionable sharing [the] aforesaid abstraction of aerial pinch an infected person.”

What is nan mortality complaint for hantavirus? Is location a treatment?

Fatality rates from HFRS, caused by nan aged world hantaviruses, are estimated to beryllium betwixt 1% and 15%.

“New world hantaviruses … origin overmuch much terrible symptoms and nan chances of mortality are much, overmuch higher,” Balasubramaniam said. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has a fatality complaint of astir 40% successful nan Americas.

“We don’t person a definitive antiviral [drug] that useful really well,” Balasubramaniam said. Infections were typically treated pinch supportive management, which made early test important, he added. However, broad-spectrum antivirals are being researched for usage arsenic an early treatment.

For hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, supportive attraction includes oxygen, fluid management, humor unit support and ventilation.