Hantavirus treatments are coming but not fast enough for this outbreak, experts say

"Several research groups are chasing antibody treatments for hantavirus, but a lack of funding and urgency means that potential therapies for humans are years away. In the meantime, public health officials and clinicians are working to contain an outbreak that began on a cruise ship last month that has so far sickened at least nine people, resulting in three deaths. Still more are suspected to be infected, and because of the virus's long incubation time, more cases are almost certainly going to emerge."

"Hantavirus is typically spread to humans who are exposed to infected rodents or their feces or urine. But the Andes virus, the type of hantavirus at the center of the current outbreak, is capable of spreading from person to person. There is no specific treatment for hantavirus; rather clinicians try to support patients and treat symptoms as they arise. This can range from ensuring that infected people get rest and hydration to intubating patients with a severe case in which breathing is impaired, among other actions."

"Tony Schountz, an immunologist at Colorado State University, has studied antibody responses to hantavirus in rodents for years. More recently, his team has focused on searching for ways to prevent or treat the illness in people. Using white blood cells from humans infected with hantavirus, the researchers identified antibodies—proteins in the immune system that can identify and neutralize pathogens—that may be able to combat different strains of the virus."

"“We have animal data, and almost certainly they would work great, but we do not have human clinical trial material, he s”"

An outbreak of Andes virus began on a cruise ship and has sickened at least nine people with three deaths, with additional infections likely due to long incubation. Hantavirus is usually spread through exposure to infected rodents or their feces or urine, but Andes virus can spread from person to person. There is no specific treatment, so clinicians provide supportive care such as rest and hydration and may intubate severe cases with impaired breathing. Research groups are pursuing antibody treatments, but limited funding and urgency mean human therapies may be years away. Studies using human white blood cells identified antibodies that can recognize and neutralize hantavirus strains, though human clinical trial material is still lacking.

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