A Comprehensive Review on the Hantavirus Epidemiology and Potential Therapeutic Prospects

Abstract

Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that have severe harmful effects on humans. They belong to a completely different genus in the Bunyaviridae family as they are rodent-borne viruses. They have a persistent life cycle in their primary hosts without causing any infection, however, they can infect humans in case of any contact with rodents or inhalation of aerosolized contaminated rodent droppings or saliva. Hantavirus has a wide geographic dispersal and is found in all the continents except Antarctica. Since their first encounter in the 1950s during the Korean conflict, it has been a threat to humans. Hantavirus syndrome can result in either Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which is more prevalent in America, and Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) prevalent in Eurasia. These viruses have caused approximately 2,00,000 infections worldwide in recent years. In this review, we provide a summary of the progress made in understanding the hantavirus epidemiology, different vaccines, drugs, pathogenesis, clinical features, model systems used for hantavirus studies, treatments, and preventions associated with the virus.