“Hantavirus is neither a deadly nor dangerous virus in the sense that we expect it to be a public health problem,” assures Dr. Adrian Marinescu, the medical director of the “Matei Balș” Institute, exclusively for “Adevărul”. The statement comes in the context in which the INSP announced a suspicion of infection in a 25-year-old man from the west of the country, whose samples were urgently sent to the Cantacuzino Institute. The renowned doctor explains that although severe forms are rare and the disease usually resembles the flu, the lack of a vaccine or specific treatment shifts the responsibility to the town halls: “The authorities should get rid of the rodents, first and foremost.”
In this context, the manager of the “Prof. Dr. Matei Balș” National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Adrian Marinescu, says that hantavirus should not be seen as a major danger for the population, although there are also serious forms of the disease.
“Hantavirus is neither a deadly nor dangerous virus in the sense that we expect it to be a public health problem,” the doctor declared for “Adevărul”.
According to him, most forms resemble a virus or flu and are manifested by fever, muscle aches, joint pains and general malaise.
“Most of the time it closely resembles a virus or the flu. I mean we are talking about symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, joint pain, altered general condition and so on. Here are, let’s say, the common forms,” explains Adrian Marinescu.
However, the doctor points out that there are also severe forms, which can affect the lungs or kidneys and which, in rare cases, can be life-threatening. “Indeed, severe forms can lead to adverse outcomes, including death. But they are rare”says the specialist.
How Hantavirus is transmitted
According to the infectious disease doctor, transmission takes place, in most cases, through direct or indirect contact with infected rodents.
“Regarding the transmission we need to know in the following way, that in most of the cases, the transmission is through direct or indirect contact with rodents. With rodents that are of course infected”explains Adrian Marinescu.
He says the risk occurs mainly through contact with rodent excrement, urine or saliva, including inhalation of contaminated particles from the air. “Of course and absolute direct contact or if we’re bitten”the doctor specified.
Dr. Marinescu emphasizes that human-to-human transmission is extremely rare and differs greatly from the way viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 or the flu spread.
“In a very small number of cases, so extremely rare cases, human-to-human transmission is also described”, says this one. Specifically, the doctor refers to the Andes strain, associated with rare cases of transmission between humans. “And we are talking about the Andes strain, which could also cause human-to-human transmission, but in any case, the transmission is different compared to, for example, SARS-CoV-2. You need a prolonged contact that is, indeed, directly with the person next to you”explains the specialist.
What doctors say about the risk related to cats
Asked if pets can represent a risk, Adrian Marinescu says that cats are not considered an intermediate host for hantavirus, but there may be indirect exposure situations.
“The cat is not described as an intermediate host. But be careful, if they are rodents the mice that get into the cat’s claws are very likely to leave their droppings…” he declared.
There is no vaccine and no specific antiviral treatment
According to him, there is currently no widely approved vaccine against hantavirus and no specific antiviral treatment for this infection.
In the absence of an antiviral treatment, prevention remains the most important method of protection. “The fact that we don’t come into contact with rodents. Of course, the authorities should get rid of rodents, first and foremost,” emphasizes Adrian Marinescu.
It also recommends observing general hygiene rules, as well as avoiding closed and unventilated spaces where there could be traces of infected rodents.
