Rare rat disease behind cruise ship outbreak and deaths
A rare virus transmitted through exposure to rodents or their feces has been blamed for the deaths of several tourists on an international cruise ship.
The World Health Organization has confirmed at least one case of hantavirus, as well as five suspected cases, on the MV Hondius ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.
Three of the six affected people died, while one remained in intensive care.
Hantavirus also made headlines in February last year after it killed Betsy Arakawa, wife of late actor Gene Hackman.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantaviruses are a family of serious but rare viruses that can cause illness and death.
They cause two syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), found in the Western Hemisphere, and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), seen mostly in Europe and Asia.
HPS affects the lungs with symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predictions Up to 38 percent of people who develop these respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.
In contrast, HFRS targets the kidneys, potentially causing low blood pressure, internal bleeding, and acute renal failure. Although the mortality rate varies by type, 5 to 15 percent of cases can be fatal.
How does hantavirus spread?
According to the CDC, hantavirus spreads mostly from rodents to humans through environmental exposure rather than from person to person.
The virus circulates when fresh urine, feces, or nesting materials of an infected rodent become airborne.
A person can then become infected by breathing this polluted air.
Hantavirus can also be transmitted when saliva, urine, or feces from an infected animal penetrates a person’s cut or wound or gets into their eyes, nose, or mouth.
Why are cruise ship outbreaks so common?
Dr Renata Muylaert, from the University of Sydney’s Disease Ecology Laboratory, says the hantavirus outbreak is “certainly concerning” but “rare”.
Prevention of hantavirus is based on reducing exposure to natural hosts (rats and mice), he says.
“In closed environments such as cruise ship interiors, this means strict rodent control, maintaining very high standards of hygiene and ensuring food and grain are stored safely to prevent any rodent infestation.”
The hantavirus news is the latest in a long line of outbreaks on cruise ships globally; Gastroenteritis, COVID and influenza cause serious illness and death in passengers.
On cruise ships, crowds of people gather in enclosed spaces for long periods of time, creating a shared environment. Environment suitable for “superspreader events”.
Additionally, a 2021 survey It found that a person’s risk of contracting a disease such as gastroenteritis was higher because they were more exposed on long trips.
MV Hondius, the ship at the center of the hantavirus outbreak, left Argentina on March 20 and was expected to complete its voyage, a 45-day voyage, in Cape Verde on Monday.
WHO is conducting a “full public health risk assessment” and providing support to passengers remaining on the ship.
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