Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Passengers on a cruise ship were stricken with hantavirus are now getting treatment in Nebraska. One area doctor says the risk of person to person transmission is slim.
UB's Dr. Tom Russo says hantavirus comes in two varieties. "There's old world hantavirus, which primarily occurs in Europe and Asia, and new world virus, which primarily occurs in the Americas. And most recently, this outbreak that we've heard on the cruise ship involves the New World hantavirus, and when that virus causes infections, the severe consequences could be both pulmonary failure or cardiac failure," says Russo.
He says the risk is extremely low. "There is one exception, and this is the Andes hantavirus, which is present in Chile and southern Argentina, which is the type that's been implicated in this cruise ship outbreak. But even that variety of Hantavirus is very poorly transmissible to human to human, therefore, within proper infection control measures, we feel that this outbreak that's been described to be fairly easily brought to end with appropriate infection control measures," notes Russo.
Russo says the cause of the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship is unknown. "It hasn't absolutely been excluded that perhaps there were rodents in the ship, but the cruise ship company tells us that's not the case. And then we subsequently believe that there may be other individuals that were in close contact with the index case and his wife that subsequently got hantavirus infection through that close contact. But again, details are still being sorted out exactly the transmission of infection in these individuals," says Russo. He says hantavirus can be transmitted from rodent droppings.
Russo says what's happening as far as treatment at the University of Nebraska is out of precaution. "US citizens that disembarked the cruise ship and now are being transported, have been transported back to the United States, are residing in this quarantine center in Nebraska, and the duration they reside there is unclear, but they're being quarantined to make sure that they develop, don't develop symptoms are active Hantavirus infection, and therefore, by being quarantined, they won't spread that virus to individuals, and in this manner will curtail the present outbreak,," explains Russo.
Russo says hantavirus care is supportive. "The New World hantaviruses, as I mentioned, cause cardiac and respiratory failure, so oxygen therapy fluids and support in a ventilator are used as needed. Old World hantavirus, which is not the case we believe in this particular outbreak causes renal failure, and those individuals are supported by dialysis as needed," says Russo, who adds there is no vaccine or specific treatment.
With hantavirus potentially being transmitted through mouse and rodent droppings, Russo says take care during spring cleaning. Some of us will clean out our garages, and we may find that our furry friends have decided to winter in our garages. If that's the case and you see rodent droppings in your garage or any area of your house, the means to best protect yourself is wear a mask if you have one, and lots of us have those masks left over from the pandemic, pour bleach over the droppings and let that beach rest for about 10 minutes or so. And then when you clean up the excrement, do not sweep, do not use a vacuum, which can aerosolize that, particularly if it's dried out. But then, after the bleach sits for a while, go ahead and just sort of scoop it up with a paper towel, and that way you'll be safe and minimize risk to any infectious agents that could be present in those droppings," advises Russo.
Area doctor says person to person transmission is rare
Area doctor says person to person transmission is rare
