Question 1

What is hantavirus?

Accepted Answer

Hantavirus is a genus of RNA viruses in the Bunyaviridae family, primarily transmitted by rodents (mice, rats, voles). It causes two serious syndromes: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), predominant in Eurasia, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), predominant in the Americas.

Question 2

How is hantavirus transmitted?

Accepted Answer

Hantavirus is primarily transmitted by inhaling aerosolized particles from the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. Direct contact with rodents or their nests can also transmit the virus. The Andes strain is the only known strain capable of human-to-human transmission.

Question 3

Can hantavirus spread from human to human?

Accepted Answer

Generally, no. Most hantavirus strains (Hantaan, Puumala, Sin Nombre, Dobrava, Seoul) do not transmit between humans. The notable exception is the Andes strain, found in South America, which has been documented as capable of human-to-human transmission, particularly during the 2026 MV Hondius cluster.

Question 4

What are the symptoms of hantavirus?

Accepted Answer

Symptoms vary by syndrome. HPS (pulmonary syndrome) begins with fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, followed by rapid respiratory distress that can be fatal. HFRS (hemorrhagic fever) causes fever, headaches, abdominal pain, kidney failure, and sometimes hemorrhaging. The average incubation period is 2 weeks, with a maximum of 6 weeks.

Question 5

What is the mortality rate of hantavirus?

Accepted Answer

The case fatality rate varies significantly by strain. HPS (Sin Nombre, Andes) has a fatality rate of 30-40%. HFRS (Hantaan) has a rate of 5-15%, while the Puumala strain (nephropathia epidemica) has a rate below 1%. There is no specific antiviral treatment; treatment is symptomatic and supportive.

Question 6

Is there a vaccine for hantavirus?

Accepted Answer

There is no approved hantavirus vaccine in Europe or North America. China and South Korea have inactivated vaccines (Hantavax) used locally. Several vaccine candidates are in development (DNA, subunit, mRNA). Prevention primarily relies on rodent control and hygiene.

Question 7

What is the MV Hondius outbreak?

Accepted Answer

In April 2026, a cluster of HPS cases was detected aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship in Antarctica. The Andes strain was identified, with confirmed human-to-human transmission. As of May 2, 2026, 17 confirmed cases and 4 deaths were recorded. The WHO declared a public health event on April 28, 2026.

Question 8

How can you protect yourself from hantavirus?

Accepted Answer

Prevention includes: avoiding contact with rodents and their droppings, sealing openings in buildings, using rodent traps, moistening contaminated areas before cleaning (never dry sweep), wearing an N95 mask when cleaning potentially contaminated areas, and seeing a doctor promptly if respiratory symptoms develop after exposure.

Question 9

What is the situation of hantavirus in France?

Accepted Answer

Metropolitan France records around 100 hospitalized cases per year, mainly caused by the Puumala strain (0.4% case fatality rate), transmitted by the bank vole. The Seoul strain is also reported sporadically, along with a few Tula strain cases (2 in 2015, 2 in 2023). In French Guiana, the Maripa virus has caused 11 cases including 6 deaths. The French National Reference Centre (CNR) for hantaviruses provides diagnostic surveillance. Sources: Vidal.fr, ECDC.

Question 10

Where does Hantavirus Tracker data come from?

Accepted Answer

Data is aggregated from WHO (Disease Outbreak News), US CDC, European ECDC, China CDC, ProMED-mail, Vidal.fr, and reports from national public health agencies. News articles are collected automatically via Google News RSS and supplemented with manually written articles.

Question 11

Is the quarantine period really 42 days?

Accepted Answer

WHO recommends 42-day monitoring (twice the maximum incubation period of 21 days) for close contacts of confirmed Andes strain hantavirus cases, due to its human-to-human transmission capability. For other strains, surveillance is generally shorter as human-to-human transmission is not documented.

Frequently asked questions about hantavirus