HANTAVIRUS: The Definition, Causes, Signs & Symptoms And Preventive Measures

 

Passengers have been evacuated from the MV Hondius, a cruise ship travelling through remote islands near South America and Africa following a hantavirus cluster linked to the vessel, raising fresh concerns among global health authorities. 

Health authorities confirmed that there have been three confirmed cases and five suspected cases of hantavirus on board the vessel, with multiple deaths already reported and authorities expecting the number to rise as investigations and testing continued.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the outbreak involved the Andes strain of hantavirus — a rare variant capable of limited human-to-human transmission through close and prolonged contact.

The outbreak has triggered widespread questions about hantavirus, how it spreads, why it is considered dangerous, and whether there is a treatment or cure.

WHAT IS HANTAVIRUS?

Hantavirus is a group of viruses mainly spread by rodents such as rats and mice. Humans become infected after exposure to infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva, especially when contaminated particles become airborne and are inhaled.

According to WHO, hantaviruses can cause severe diseases affecting the lungs, kidneys and cardiovascular system. In the Americas, the virus is associated with Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS), a potentially fatal respiratory illness.

Senior Fellow at the Harvard Belfer Center and former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Ashish Jha, described hantavirus as “a very deadly virus,” with mortality rates ranging between 50 and 70 per cent.

“This is a hard disease to spread. It almost never spreads human to human. It’s usually from rodents — usually aerosolized particles of rodent faeces and urine,” Jha told the newsmen.

According to him, one strain of the virus can spread between humans, but only through “very close contact for a long period of time.”

“So this is not like flu or COVID, where it’s going to spread wide,” he said.

HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

Most hantavirus infections occur when people inhale contaminated particles from rodent waste in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces.

Health experts said exposure can occur while:

Cleaning rodent-infested homes or storage areas;

Handling contaminated materials;

Staying in abandoned buildings;

Camping or working in areas with high rodent activity.

Jha explained that the cruise ship outbreak was likely linked to unusual environmental exposure rather than routine travel.

“Your typical Caribbean cruise is not going to set you up for a hantavirus outbreak,” he said.

“Remember, this was visiting remote islands off of South America and Africa. Rodents might have gotten onto the ship. Maybe the rodent droppings got aerosolized. So this is a pretty unusual situation.”

WHO says human-to-human transmission remains extremely rare and has only been confirmed with the Andes strain found in parts of South America.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

Early hantavirus symptoms often resemble those of common viral infections, making diagnosis difficult in the early stages.

Symptoms may include:

Fever;

Fatigue;

Muscle aches;

Headache;

Chills;

Nausea and vomiting;

Abdominal pain.

As the illness progresses, severe respiratory complications can develop rapidly, including:

Persistent cough;

Shortness of breath;

Fluid buildup in the lungs;

Kidney complications;

Shock.

Jha noted that the virus can trigger “all sorts of symptoms,” adding that the respiratory form of the disease can be particularly deadly.

Health authorities said symptoms may appear between one and eight weeks after exposure.

WHY IS HANTAVIRUS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS?

Experts said hantavirus is particularly dangerous because it is difficult to detect early and can rapidly become life-threatening.

Jha warned that outbreaks are often discovered after severe complications or deaths have already occurred.

“One of the things I remind people is we often find out these things at the end after people have started dying,” he said.

The ongoing cruise ship outbreak has heightened concerns because officials expect additional infections to emerge as testing continues among passengers and crew members.

However, experts stress that hantavirus is not expected to become a widespread global pandemic because it does not spread easily between humans.

IS THERE A TREATMENT OR VACCINE?

There is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus infection.

Patients are usually treated with supportive medical care, including oxygen therapy, intensive care support and treatment for respiratory or kidney complications.

Jha said governments and global health institutions should invest more in vaccine research and treatment development for emerging infectious diseases such as hantavirus.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a treatment, and we don’t have a vaccine that’s specific to hantavirus,” he said.

“By the way, we should be doing those things. We should be making those kinds of investments.”

HOW CAN PEOPLE PROTECT THEMSELVES?

Health authorities advise people to minimize contact with rodents and maintain proper hygiene practices to reduce the risk of infection.

Preventive measures include:

Keeping homes and surroundings clean;

Sealing holes that allow rodents into buildings;

Properly storing food items;

Avoiding dry sweeping of rodent droppings;

Spraying contaminated areas with disinfectant before cleaning;

Wearing gloves and face masks while cleaning enclosed spaces;

Washing hands thoroughly after handling potentially contaminated materials. 

Experts also advised people to seek immediate medical attention if they develop flu-like or breathing symptoms after possible exposure to rodents or contaminated environment.