EXPLANATION-What is the hantavirus that killed three cruise ship passengers?
May 5 (Reuters) – Three people have died in an outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship, with four more confirmed or suspected cases.
What exactly is hantavirus, and what are the implications of its spread for public health around the world?
WHAT’S GOING ON?
Hantaviruses are viruses carried by rodents that can infect humans and cause illness. The World Health Organization estimates that there are 10,000 to 100,000 human cases worldwide each year, with varying degrees of severity.
HOW IS THE VIRUS SPREAD?
Hantavirus is spread mainly by rodents, infecting people through contact with mice or rats, or their urine, feces, or saliva – usually when the virus is released into the air during cleaning of infested areas.
Usually, it spreads in dirty places.
The Andes strain of hantavirus, found mainly in Argentina and Chile, is the only known strain that can spread through close, long-term person-to-person contact.
While the WHO believes that this strain is responsible for the illnesses on board the cruise ship, this has not been confirmed.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF INFECTION?
Hantaviruses common in different parts of the world cause different symptoms or diseases – while others cause none at all.
Symptoms usually begin one to eight weeks after exposure and can include fever, muscle aches and stomach problems, according to the WHO.
In Europe and Asia, hantaviruses are known to cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, which mainly affects the kidneys and blood vessels.
In the United States, infection can cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, which progresses rapidly and leads to fluid buildup in the lungs and heart failure.
The fatality rate of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome is up to 50%, says the WHO, compared to 1-15% for diseases more common in Asia and Europe.
CAN HANTAVIRUS BE CURED?
There is no specific treatment for infection from hantavirus, so current treatment focuses on supportive care, including rest and fluids. Patients may require respiratory support such as a ventilator.
Prevention focuses on reducing contact with rodents through measures such as keeping areas and areas clean.
During an outbreak, contact tracing can give others who may have been exposed to the virus faster access to hospital care, improving outcomes—and preventing further spread.
WHAT IS THE RISK TO THE GENERAL SOCIETY?
Cruise ship outbreaks are rare and are being investigated by WHO experts and several countries, but the risk to the public remains low, WHO said.
More broadly, the WHO’s Americas branch warned in December that hantavirus infections are increasing in the region, particularly in Bolivia and Paraguay. Brazil and Argentina – which have the most crimes – have also seen an increase in homicides.
Argentina reported 21 deaths last year, a 32% mortality rate among 66 people who contracted hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, compared to an average of 15% four years ago.
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