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Hantavirus information from APIC

What is Hantavirus:
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses. These infections are not super common, but they can infect and cause serious disease in people worldwide. Hantaviruses found in the Western Hemisphere, including here in the U.S., can cause something called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
 
What are the symptoms of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS):
Early symptoms can include:
  • fatigue
  • fever
  • muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders
About half of all HPS patients also experience:
  • headaches
  • dizziness
  • chills
  • abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
Four to 10 days after the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms of HPS appear. These symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. Patients might experience tightness in the chest, as the lungs fill with fluid.
 
HPS can be deadly. Thirty-eight percent of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.
 
 
How do people usually catch it:
Human Hantavirus infection is primarily caused by contact with the urine, feces, or saliva from infected rodents or by touching contaminated surfaces. Exposure typically occurs during activities such as cleaning buildings with rodent infestations, though it may also occur during routine activities in heavily infested areas.
 
What's the incubation period:
 Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) has an incubation of 1 to 8 weeks.
 
What is going on with this specific Hantavirus on the cruise ship?
Most hantaviruses don't spread person to person, but this one (called the Andes virus) does!
The Andes virus is spread by rodents in South America. The rodents that carry Andes virus have not been found in the United States. Andes virus is the only type of hantavirus that is known to spread person-to-person.
Eight cases of this Hantavirus have been reported so far, including three deaths.
 
How does the Andes Virus Spread:
This spread is usually limited to people who have close contact with a sick person. This includes direct physical contact, prolonged time spent in close or enclosed spaces, and exposure to the sick person's body fluids.
 
 
What are the experts saying:
WHO Director Dr. Tedros:
“While this is a serious incident, WHO assesses the public health risk as low.” He noted that given the incubation period, “it's possible that more cases may be reported.”
 
Dr. Emily Smith, a Duke University epidemiologist:
“The WHO does not expect a significant outbreak based on previous data from other hantavirus outbreaks. For example, in 2018, there was an outbreak in Argentina but it was halted quickly due to good contact tracing and breaking the chain of transmission.” She also noted that Hantavirus (the Andes version) does not spread the same way as COVID for example and has historically been contained with good contact tracing and monitoring.
 
Full WHO Briefing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksOTrl0zM5A
 
Sources:
CDC WHO  
 
Staff Contact: mcarland[at]mehca.org
 

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