Hantaviruses are common all over the world. The hantavirus takes its name from the Korean river Hantan-gang. During the Korean War in the early 1950s, thousands of soldiers fell ill with a severe fever that was associated with internal and external bleeding (hemorrhagic fever). Researchers isolated the hantavirus for the first time in 1977. Hantaviruses belong to the Hantaviridae family. The best known types of hantaviruses are:
·
Puumalavirus
(PUUV) -
found in the Balkans, Central Europe (Germany), and the European part of
Russia. PUUV occurs almost exclusively in Northern and Western
Europe. Reservoir: bank vole
·
Dobrava-Belgrade
virus (DOBV) -
like PUUV, this type occurs in the Balkans, Central Europe (Germany) and in the
European part of Russia. Reservoir: fire mouse, yellow-necked mouse, Black
Sea Forest mouse
·
Hantaan
virus (HTNV) -
found only in the Asian part of Russia, China, and the Korean
peninsula. Reservoir: fire mouse
·
Seoul
virus (SEOV) -
believed to be worldwide, but its actual occurrence is unknown. Reservoir:
brown rat.
·
Sin
Nombre Virus (SNV) -
is particularly common in North America. Reservoir: deer mouse
·
Andes
virus (ANDV) -
is particularly common in South America. Reservoir: rice rat
Hantavirus: transmission
The hantavirus is transmitted to human by infected
rodents (usually mice or rats). Each hantavirus has its special host that
acts as a reservoir. In Germany, bank mice and fire mice in particular
carry the hantavirus. The infected rodents do not become ill themselves.
You can become infected if you come into contact
with virus-containing saliva, urine or rodent faeces. So you don't have to
come into direct contact with the mice or rats. The pathogens can even
survive in the environment for several days - even when dry, but the hantavirus
remains contagious.
There are several ways of transmission with the
hantavirus:
- Inhalation
of virus-containing particles, for example
when dust is blown up and you inhale virus-containing aerosols. The
hantavirus then enters the human body through the lungs.
- Bite
from an infected rodent and exposure to
infectious saliva
- Minor
skin injuries , for example if you were injured while
gardening and come into contact with virus-laden soil or dust.
- Consumption
of contaminated food to which hantaviruses adhere - the
pathogens then enter the body via the digestive tract.
With the hantavirus that circulates in Europe,
human-to-human transmission is probably not possible. Only in the case of
the highly contagious Andes virus (ANDV), which occurs in South America, is
there evidence of transmission between humans. Hantaviruses probably
cannot be transmitted via pets such as dogs or cats, mosquitoes or ticks.
The incubation period for the hantavirus is usually
two to four weeks, i.e. the period between infection and the onset of the first
symptoms. Sometimes the incubation period also varies between five and 60
days.
Hantavirus infection: symptoms and course
In many cases, the hantavirus does not cause
symptoms and a person does not even notice the infection. Sometimes the
symptoms are only mild and unspecific. Affected people do not go to the
doctor's office and therefore do not receive a diagnosis. Doctors
therefore suspect that the number of unreported cases is high.
Hantavirus diseases that cause symptoms are
summarized by doctors under the term "hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome" (HFRS). The
symptoms and course of hantavirus infection depend on the type of virus at
work. The hantavirus is therefore dangerous in different ways . Some
hantaviruses cause very serious clinical pictures. An infection with the
virus types circulating in Germany usually ensures a mild course of the
HRFS. Usually two phases can be distinguished.
The following signs indicate an infection with the
hantavirus:
- Fever over 38 ° C - it sets in suddenly and lasts about three to
four days
- chills
- colicky stomach pain -
mostly on one side
- Nausea and vomiting , diarrhea
- Headache and stiff neck
- Muscle, limb and back pain
- Dizziness
- Visual
disturbances , increased sensitivity to light
- Red throat, cough
- Bleeding into the conjunctiva
- rare: small bleeding in the skin and mucous membranes (petechiae),
nosebleeds, reddening of the skin (no rash) on the upper half of the body
Other symptoms may appear later:
- Cardiovascular
disorders and acute drop in blood pressure - up to
shock
- Lungs : cough, shortness of breath
- Inflammation of the kidneys and temporarily impaired kidney function - acute kidney failure
rarely occurs
The hantavirus types that occur in Central Europe
rarely lead to diseases in which the heart or lungs are involved. Visible
external bleeding is also rare. The course of the infection is usually
mild in this country. As a rule, the hantavirus infection heals again
without complications or consequences. Deaths are very
rare. Mortality is below 0.1 percent.
If you suspect a hantavirus infection, contact your
doctor's office or the health department. The infection with the
hantavirus or the suspicion of it is notifiable according
to the Infection Protection Act .
Those who survived the hantavirus infection likely
have lifelong immunity to the type of virus they contracted.
Hantavirus infection: diagnosis
The diagnosis of a hantavirus infection begins with
talking about your medical history, the anamnesis. For example, the
following questions are helpful for doctors:
- What are your symptoms?
- When did you first notice the symptoms?
- How intense are the symptoms?
- Did they start suddenly or did they develop gradually?
- Where are the symptoms localized?
- Have you had contact with rodents or their excretions?
- Have you recently been to another country?
- Do you have any underlying illnesses?
Your answers already provide initial clues as to
what could be the reason for your complaints. This is usually followed by
a physical exam . The doctor feels the body and
pays attention to any changes.
The final diagnosis of "hantavirus
infection" can be made through a blood count . Doctors
use the blood serum to determine the IgM and IgG antibodies - these defensive
substances are produced by the immune system when it comes into contact with
the virus. The pathogen can be detected directly via its genetic make-up,
with the help of the so-called polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ). This “hantavirus test” can also be used to
determine the type of virus in question. @read more:-