A recent outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship has brought attention to the rare but deadly virus, which is spread through contaminated rodent droppings. Researchers are testing treatments and vaccines for the virus, which can cause severe symptoms and is often fatal.
A virologist at the Universidad San Sebastin in Chile, Mara Ins Barra, works on developing treatments for hantavirus, a family of viruses that have been known for decades.
Researchers have been trying to find and develop drugs and vaccines, but there hasn't been enough investment to make them available. A recent outbreak on a cruise ship brought attention to the virus and concern that hantavirus infections could become more common as a changing climate increases contact between people and rodents.
Hantaviruses usually spread when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings, but there are unique species of hantavirus found in different parts of the world that have their own characteristics and can cause different symptoms. The Andes virus, the germ behind the cruise ship outbreak, is a particular focus of researchers because it is the only hantavirus thought to be able to spread between people in some cases.
Researchers are testing whether a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis might help fight hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe infection caused by both the Andes virus and the Sin Nombre virus. A study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases reported that four of five patients in an Argentinian hospital survived after receiving the treatment, tocilizumab, in addition to traditional supportive care for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Another five who were deemed eligible for tocilizumab but didn't get it and instead received only standard care died. The research team cautioned that the five patients who didn't receive the drug were sicker and older than those who did. Still, they said tocilizumab warrants further investigation. In Chile, the Ministry of Health has confirmed 15 deaths and 42 cases of hantavirus so far this year.
Authorities in Argentina have reported 32 deaths and 102 cases since June 2025. In the U.S., 35% of the hantavirus cases since tracking began in 1993 have been fatal. Researchers hope that the attention brought by the cruise ship outbreak will bring new momentum to the hunt for treatments and vaccines for hantavirus.
Dr. Fernando Tortosa of the National University of Río Negro in Patagonia, Argentina, the study's lead author, said, 'I hope this situation will help us continue our research and strengthen the collaboration between healthcare workers, the community, and the necessary resources.
Hantavirus Cruise Ship Outbreak Rare Virus Deadly Infection Treatment And Vaccines
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