SouthernWorldwide.com – As the investigation into a hantavirus outbreak on the expedition cruise ship MV Hondius continues, concerns are rising about the presence of the virus in the United States.
The outbreak on the ship, which was en route from Argentina across the Atlantic, has resulted in three fatalities and at least eight reported cases, with several confirmed in laboratories, according to the World Health Organization and subsequent health reports.
At least five U.S. states are now monitoring residents who returned from the MV Hondius, including Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, and California.
Historically, the U.S. has seen approximately 800 to 900 cases of hantavirus, as stated by Luis Marcos, M.D., a professor of medicine and director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Stony Brook Medicine in New York.
Data from the CDC corroborates this, indicating that 890 cases of hantavirus disease have been reported in the U.S. from 1993 through the end of 2023.
Dr. Marcos explained that most of these cases have occurred west of the Mississippi River, and the primary risk factors involve contact with rodent feces and urine.
The most prevalent strain is Sin Nombre, which is not transmitted from person to person, he added.
The majority of hantavirus strains spread by inhaling contaminated particles from rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Less commonly, transmission can occur through touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose, or eyes. Person-to-person transmission is rare.
Typical scenarios involve individuals who have been camping or hiking in remote areas and inadvertently came into contact with these contaminated materials.
Dr. Marcos highlighted that the only confirmed instances of human-to-human transmission have involved the Andean virus from South America, which is the strain implicated in the current cruise ship outbreak.
The cruise ship outbreak reportedly began with a couple who contracted the virus while traveling in Argentina.
These individuals were asymptomatic, as the incubation period for hantavirus can range from one to four weeks, according to Dr. Marcos.
Most infected individuals develop flu-like symptoms, similar to COVID-19, including fever and muscle pain.
Dr. Marcos noted that some individuals may experience mild illness, meaning not everyone will become severely ill.
In rare instances, hantavirus can progress to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe condition where the lungs fill with fluid and can be fatal, he stated.
The mortality rate for HPS is between 30% and 60%, underscoring its deadly nature, Dr. Marcos added.
Regarding transmission, Dr. Marcos emphasized that individuals at the highest risk are those in “close contact,” which typically means sharing the same living environment where bodily fluids could be exchanged.
He stressed that the contact needs to be “really, really close” and that the transmission is not as efficient as with other viruses.
While airborne transmission via droplets is possible, Dr. Marcos pointed out that these transmissions are “not as effective” as those of COVID-19, influenza, or common cold viruses.
For the current cruise situation, Dr. Marcos believes it is crucial to have individuals in quarantine for a specific period.
Given the virus’s long incubation period, the quarantine duration is likely to be several weeks. The longest recorded incubation period is around 56 days, or approximately two months, though most cases manifest within two to three weeks, he explained.
Currently, there are no specific antiviral treatments for hantavirus.
Treatment involves supportive care in a hospital setting. If the lungs fill with fluid, patients require a ventilator until the virus runs its course, Dr. Marcos said.
While a hantavirus vaccine is not yet available in the U.S., Dr. Marcos mentioned that several are under development.
He expressed his belief that the risk of hantavirus leading to a pandemic is “pretty much almost zero.”
“I don’t feel a strong risk of a pandemic,” he told Fox News Digital. “The transmission is not like COVID. It’s very different.”
“I really think this is going to go away in the next two to three weeks, and we will know exactly the number of cases,” he added.
To prevent hantavirus infection, Dr. Marcos recommends wearing gloves and a mask in environments where mice may be present, such as when cleaning a basement.
Adequate ventilation and frequent hand-washing can also help limit the spread of the virus.
