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

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

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

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

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In the U.S., determination person historically been astir 800 to 900 cases of hantavirus, according to Luis Marcos, MD, prof of medicine and manager of the 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 the U.S. from 1993 done the extremity of 2023.

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

"Most of these cases person been westbound of the Mississippi River, and classically the hazard factors are being successful interaction with 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, the doc said.

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

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

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Typical scenarios see radical who person been camping oregon hiking successful distant areas and were inadvertently successful interaction with these feces oregon urine.

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

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

The existent cruise vessel outbreak reportedly originated with a mates who contracted the microorganism portion traveling successful Argentina.

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

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

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

"Some radical whitethorn person mild disease, truthful not everybody volition beryllium very, precise sick," the doc noted.

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In uncommon cases, hantavirus tin pb to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which causes the lungs to capable with fluid and tin beryllium fatal, the doc noted.

"The mortality complaint [among those with HPS] is betwixt 30% and 60% – truthful yes, it's a deadly virus," the doc added.

In presumption of transmission, Marcos emphasized that those astatine highest hazard are the radical successful "close contact," which typically means surviving successful the aforesaid situation wherever fluids tin beryllium exchanged.

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

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

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

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

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

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There are not presently immoderate antiviral treatments for hantavirus. 

"So what happens is the diligent volition extremity up successful the hospital. We volition bash supportive care, which means if your lungs are afloat of fluid, you volition necessitate a ventilator until you cognize the microorganism runs its course," Marcos said.

"We volition bash supportive care, which means if your lungs are afloat of fluid, you volition necessitate a ventilator until you cognize the microorganism runs its course," the doc said. (iStock)

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

The doc said helium believes the hazard of hantavirus starring to a pandemic is "pretty overmuch astir zero."

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"I don't consciousness a beardown hazard of a pandemic," helium told Fox News Digital. "The transmission is not similar COVID. It's precise different."

"I truly deliberation this is going to spell distant successful the adjacent 2 to 3 weeks, and we volition cognize precisely the fig of cases," helium 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 assistance curb spread.