Health officials are monitoring cases of Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, following a recent cluster linked to a cruise ship that traveled to Patagonia in South America, according to a May 18 statement. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported that one possible case in Illinois tested negative after confirmatory testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hantaviruses are carried primarily by rodents and can be transmitted from rodents to humans. Human-to-human transmission is rare but can lead to severe illness. “In the Americas, hantaviruses cause the hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). It’s a disease characterized primarily by rapid onset failure of breathing (respiratory failure), and heart problems (cardiovascular shock),” said Sharjeel Ahmad, MD, staff physician of infectious disease with OSF HealthCare. He explained that the current strain making headlines is associated with exposure during shore excursions where passengers may have encountered infected rodents.
The Andes virus reservoir is believed to be the long-tailed pygmy rice rat found in rural areas of central and southern Chile and Argentina. Dr. Ahmad said activities such as hiking or visiting rural structures could increase risk: “It creates a unique convergence of risk factors,” he said. “Passengers likely had direct environmental exposure to rodent habitats during an shore excursions where the virus is in the endemic stage.” Unlike COVID-19 or influenza, hantavirus does not spread through brief contact; prolonged close contact increases risk.
Dr. Ahmad described how HCPS has a high mortality rate—about 35-40% in the United States—and there are no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines available for hantavirus infections. “This virus targets the lining of the blood vessels, called the endothelium, and causes them to become leaky,” he said. He also pointed out that treatment relies on supportive care such as intensive monitoring and ventilator support if needed: “Some people may need a ventilator for respiratory failure. In rare cases, someone severely ill may need extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which is in essence is a heart-lung bypass machine.”
Preventive measures include sealing homes against rodent entry, eliminating food sources for rodents, and cleaning up droppings safely without sweeping or vacuuming dry debris—a point Dr. Ahmad emphasized due to potential airborne transmission from contaminated dust.
He advised travelers heading into endemic regions like Patagonia to remain cautious but not panic: “Stay informed, avoid panic and focus on practical prevention.” As of May 18 there were 41 people across the U.S being monitored for hantavirus; some patients were treated at specialized units including those at Nebraska Biocontainment Unit and Emory University Hospital.
The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continues to say that global risk remains low regarding this outbreak.
OSF HealthCare contributes health guidance on diseases through its newsroom; it manages hospitals and clinics across Illinois and Michigan offering emergency care among other services according to its official website.
