France: A case of hantavirus has been detected in a Franco-Argentine national who travelled to France in July before being placed in isolation in Spain, the French health ministry said on Thursday.
The patient was infected with the Andes strain of hantavirus, which is the only known hantavirus strain capable of sustained person-to-person transmission. Health authorities said the individual initially experienced only a few symptoms and has since recovered from them.
The case has prompted authorities to trace the person’s movements and assess whether anyone else may have been exposed during the journey.
Authorities begin contact tracing
The French health ministry said that “all measures” had been put in place to trace the different stages of the person’s journey.
Health experts were scheduled to meet to determine the next steps, while coordination between European countries was also being established.
The detection comes several months after a hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius raised international concerns.
Authorities have not indicated any connection between the newly detected case and the earlier cruise-ship outbreak.
The latest case is therefore being investigated separately, with health officials focusing on the patient’s travel history and possible contacts.
Andes strain can spread between people
Hantaviruses are generally associated with rodents and are most commonly transmitted to humans through exposure to infected rodents or their urine, droppings and saliva.
Most hantavirus infections are not known to spread efficiently from person to person. However, the Andes strain is an important exception and has been documented as capable of human-to-human transmission.
This characteristic makes confirmed infections involving the Andes strain particularly important for public health authorities, as contact tracing and monitoring can help identify people who may have been exposed.
The patient in the latest case was reportedly placed in isolation in Spain, although the French health ministry did not provide details about the circumstances of the isolation.
Cruise ship outbreak triggered global alert
The new case comes after an outbreak of Andes strain hantavirus associated with the MV Hondius cruise earlier this year.
The outbreak involved 13 confirmed cases and resulted in three deaths.
The World Health Organization declared the end of the outbreak in early July after the last affected person completed quarantine.
The cruise-linked infections prompted a global health alert because of the unusual occurrence of multiple cases associated with a single setting and the potential for transmission involving the Andes strain.
Health authorities have continued to monitor affected individuals and their contacts following the outbreak.
French patient recovers after severe illness
The French health ministry also provided an update on a French woman who contracted hantavirus during the MV Hondius outbreak.
The woman was repatriated to France in May in critical condition and required intensive care for nearly three months.
She was discharged from the intensive care unit on Thursday and transferred to a rehabilitation centre, according to the ministry.
Four other French nationals who were repatriated along with her did not develop the disease.
The patient’s recovery highlights the potentially severe nature of hantavirus infections, particularly when complications occur, although the severity can vary considerably between patients.
How hantavirus spreads
Hantavirus infections are primarily associated with rodents.
People can become infected after inhaling particles contaminated by infected rodents, particularly when cleaning areas where rodents have been present. Contact with contaminated materials can also pose a risk.
The risk is generally higher in environments where rodent populations are present or where people come into close contact with rodent-infested areas.
Person-to-person transmission is rare and is mainly associated with the Andes strain.
Unlike respiratory viruses that spread easily through casual contact, hantavirus transmission does not generally occur through ordinary day-to-day interactions.
Symptoms can vary
Hantavirus infections can initially cause symptoms that resemble those of several other viral illnesses.
Depending on the type of hantavirus and the clinical syndrome, symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea and other flu-like complaints.
Some infections can progress to serious respiratory or other complications.
Because the early symptoms can be non-specific, people with potential rodent exposure who develop a sudden illness should seek medical advice and inform healthcare professionals about their exposure history.
No specific vaccine or treatment
There are currently no widely available vaccines specifically preventing hantavirus infection, and there is no specific antiviral treatment routinely used for all hantavirus infections.
Medical care generally focuses on monitoring the patient and treating complications or supporting vital functions when severe disease develops.
Early medical attention is particularly important when a patient develops breathing difficulties or other signs of serious illness.
The absence of a specific treatment makes prevention and appropriate public health measures important components of hantavirus control.
Why the latest case is being monitored
Although the newly identified patient reportedly had only limited symptoms and is now asymptomatic, the Andes strain requires particular attention because of its potential for human-to-human transmission.
European health authorities are therefore working to establish the patient’s movements and identify people who may have had relevant exposure.
The investigation will help determine whether additional monitoring or public health measures are necessary.
For now, officials have not reported a wider outbreak connected to the latest case.
The incident also comes as a reminder that hantavirus remains a rare but potentially serious rodent-borne infection. While tens of thousands of infections are reported worldwide each year across different hantavirus types, most human infections result from exposure to infected rodents rather than person-to-person transmission.