Hantavirus in the US: Where the rare, sometimes deadly disease has been found

As investigations proceed into nan hantavirus outbreak that originated connected nan expedition cruise vessel MV Hondius, concerns swirl astir nan virus’ prevalence successful nan U.S.

Among passengers of nan ship, which was walking from Argentina crossed nan Atlantic, location person been 3 deaths and astatine slightest 8 reported cases, respective of them laboratory-confirmed, according to nan World Health Organization and consequent wellness reports.

At slightest 5 states are now monitoring residents who returned from nan MV Hondius, including Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona and California, per reports.

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In nan U.S., location person historically been astir 800 to 900 cases of hantavirus, according to Luis Marcos, MD, professor of medicine and head of nan Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program astatine Stony Brook Medicine successful New York.

CDC information supports this, showing that 890 cases of hantavirus illness person been reported successful nan U.S. from 1993 done nan extremity of 2023.

As investigations proceed into nan hantavirus outbreak that originated connected nan expedition cruise vessel MV Hondius, concerns swirl astir nan virus’ prevalence successful nan U.S. (iStock)

"Most of these cases person been westbound of nan Mississippi River, and classically nan consequence factors are being successful interaction pinch feces and urine from rodents," Marcos told Fox News Digital. 

The astir communal strain is called Sin Nombre, which is not transmitted from quality to human, nan expert said.

"The transmission is not arsenic businesslike arsenic different viruses."

Most strains of hantavirus dispersed from inhaling contaminated particles from rodent urine, droppings aliases saliva – or, little commonly, from rubbing contaminated surfaces and past rubbing nan mouth, chemoreceptor aliases eyes – and are not transmitted person-to-person.

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Typical scenarios see group who person been camping aliases hiking successful distant areas and were inadvertently successful interaction pinch these feces aliases urine.

"The only proven human-to-human transmission has been pinch nan Andean microorganism from South America – and that's what's happening now," Marcos told Fox News Digital.

Among passengers of nan ship, which was walking from Argentina crossed nan Atlantic, location person been 3 deaths and astatine slightest 8 reported cases, respective of them laboratory-confirmed. (Getty Images)

The existent cruise vessel outbreak reportedly originated pinch a mates who contracted nan microorganism while walking successful Argentina.

"They were not symptomatic astatine each – nan incubation play tin beryllium one, two, 3 aliases 4 weeks," Marcos said.

Most strains of hantavirus dispersed from inhaling contaminated particles from rodent urine, droppings aliases saliva. (iStock)

Most infected group go sick pinch symptoms that are akin to flu and COVID, specified arsenic fever and musculus pain.

"Some group whitethorn person mild disease, truthful not everybody will beryllium very, very sick," nan expert noted.

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In uncommon cases, hantavirus tin lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes nan lungs to capable pinch fluid and tin beryllium fatal, nan expert noted.

"The mortality rate [among those pinch HPS] is betwixt 30% and 60% – truthful yes, it's a deadly virus," nan expert added.

In position of transmission, Marcos emphasized that those astatine highest risk are nan group successful "close contact," which typically intends surviving successful nan aforesaid situation wherever fluids tin beryllium exchanged.

"The longest incubation play has been 56 days aliases so."

"It has to beryllium really, really adjacent contact," he said. "The transmission is not arsenic businesslike arsenic different viruses."

While it's imaginable for nan microorganism to beryllium airborne via droplets, Marcos pointed retired that those transmissions are "not arsenic effective" arsenic COVID, influenza aliases acold viruses. 

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"For this cruise, it’s important to person people successful quarantine for a play of time," he said. 

The microorganism has a agelong incubation period, which intends nan quarantine duration will apt beryllium respective weeks. "The longest incubation play has been 56 days aliases so, truthful 2 months, roughly," Marcos said. "But astir cases will get sick wrong 2 to 3 weeks."

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There are not presently immoderate antiviral treatments for hantavirus. 

"So what happens is nan diligent will extremity up successful nan hospital. We will do supportive care, which intends if your lungs are afloat of fluid, you will require a ventilator until you cognize nan microorganism runs its course," Marcos said.

"We will do supportive care, which intends if your lungs are afloat of fluid, you will require a ventilator until you cognize nan microorganism runs its course," nan expert said. (iStock)

Although location is not presently a vaccine for hantavirus successful nan U.S., Marcos noted that respective are successful development.

The expert said he believes nan consequence of hantavirus starring to a pandemic is "pretty overmuch almost zero."

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"I don't consciousness a beardown consequence of a pandemic," he told Fox News Digital. "The transmission is not for illustration COVID. It's very different."

"I really deliberation this is going to spell distant successful nan adjacent 2 to 3 weeks, and we will cognize precisely nan number of cases," he added.

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To forestall hantavirus, Marcos recommends wearing gloves and a disguise successful environments wherever mice mightiness beryllium present, specified arsenic cleaning a basement. 

Proper ventilation and predominant hand-washing tin besides thief curb spread.