A deadly outbreak linked to a rodent-transmitted disease has claimed three lives and infected several others aboard a cruise ship, health officials report.
The suspected culprit is hantavirus, a dangerous pathogen that has existed for hundreds of years with documented cases across Asia and Europe. In those regions, the virus typically causes severe bleeding disorders and kidney damage. However, in the early 1990s, medical experts identified a different strain in America’s Southwest that triggers a deadly lung condition called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
The virus drew public attention recently when Betsy Arakawa, widow of renowned actor Gene Hackman, succumbed to a hantavirus infection in New Mexico last year.
According to a Sunday statement from the World Health Organization, comprehensive investigations into the cruise ship incident continue, with additional laboratory analysis and disease tracking studies underway. Scientists are also working to decode the genetic makeup of the virus strain involved.
The disease primarily transmits through exposure to infected rodents or their bodily fluids and waste products, especially when these materials become airborne after being disturbed. Most infections occur in residential settings like homes, cabins, or storage buildings, particularly during cleanup activities in poorly ventilated spaces or when exploring areas contaminated with mouse droppings.
While uncommon, the WHO notes that hantaviruses can occasionally pass directly from person to person.
Federal health authorities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started monitoring this virus following a 1993 outbreak in the Four Corners area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah converge.
Dr. Michelle Harkins, a lung specialist at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who has spent years researching the disease and treating patients, credits a sharp-eyed Indian Health Service doctor with first recognizing the deadly pattern among young victims.
Western states report the majority of American cases, with New Mexico and Arizona serving as primary hotspots, according to Harkins, who attributes this to increased opportunities for rodent-human contact in remote areas.
The infection can quickly worsen and become deadly. Medical experts explain that initial signs include fever, chills, body aches, and possibly headaches.
“In the beginning stages, distinguishing between hantavirus and influenza can be nearly impossible,” explained Dr. Sonja Bartolome from UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Signs of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome typically appear one to eight weeks following exposure to an infected rodent. As the disease advances, patients may feel chest constriction as their lungs accumulate fluid.
The alternative form of hantavirus illness — hemorrhagic fever with kidney complications — generally manifests within one to two weeks after contact.
Mortality rates depend on the specific hantavirus strain causing the infection. The lung form proves fatal in approximately 35% of cases, while the kidney-related version kills between 1% and 15% of patients, CDC data shows.
No targeted treatment or cure exists, though prompt medical care can improve survival odds.
After years of investigation, Harkins acknowledges many unanswered questions remain, including why some patients experience mild symptoms while others face severe illness, and how the body develops protective antibodies. She and fellow researchers continue tracking patients over extended periods hoping to discover effective treatments.
“There are still many puzzles to solve,” she noted, emphasizing that scientists have confirmed rodent contact as the crucial factor.
Preventing infection requires limiting contact with rodents and their waste. Health officials recommend using protective gloves and bleach solutions when cleaning rodent droppings. Public health authorities warn against sweeping or vacuuming contaminated areas, as these actions can release the virus into the air.
