Hantavirus infection: a global zoonotic challenge

Abstract

Hantaviruses are comprised of tri-segmented negative sense single-stranded RNA, and are members of the Bunyaviridae family. Hantaviruses are distributed worldwide and are important zoonotic pathogens that can have severe adverse effects in humans. They are naturally maintained in specific reservoir hosts without inducing symptomatic infection. In humans, however, hantaviruses often cause two acute febrile diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). In this paper, we review the epidemiology and epizootiology of hantavirus infections worldwide.

Hantavirus Infections in the European Region: A Mini-Review of the Literature

“…Moreover the apparent effect of Ribavirin on Hantaviruses, has turned drug research to new nucleoside analogues found to be effective in vitro and in animal studies. For example 1-β-d-ribofuranosyl-3-ethynyl-triazole (ETAR) [1,2,4] has showed significant antiviral activity against hantavirus when administered in doses 12.5-25mg/kg intraperitoneally [33]. On the other hand Arbidol, an immunomodulatory drug, was found to be effective in doses of approximately 80mg/kg/day orally [34].…”

“…The intensity of haemorrhagic manifestations such as hematuria, petechiae, internal haemorrhages and requirement of dialysis treatment, hypotension and fatality incidences are much greater in HFRS caused by DOBV, as compared by NE caused by PUUV or SAAV. Mortality rates in PUUV-HFRS are very low (~0.1%) in comparison with 12% in DOBV infections [2,3]. Patients infected by DOBV present usually more severe symptoms with haemorrhagic manifestations being most dominant (26-59%).…”

“…Furthermore impairment of gastrointestinal tract and electrocardiography findings are often found. Life-threatening neurological manifestations have been also described in some DOBV cases [2,3,9].…”

“…HFRS presents usually as a 5-stage disease (Figure 2), following a 2-4 week incubation period [16]. During the Prodromal Stage (3-5 days) the patient is febrile with concomitant constitutional flu-like symptoms (headache, malaise, myalgia, anorexia, eye pain), whereas haemorrhagic manifestations (subconjunctival haemorrhage, petechiae and mucous membrane injection) may coexist [2]. In addition, cases of Pumala virus infection may present visual disturbances and photophobia (due to lens thickening) as well as neurological complications that may involve epileptic seizures, hemiparesis, structural central nervous system (CNS) lesions, encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome and cranial nerve palsies [9,17].…”

Pneumonia in the tropics: Report from the Task Force on tropical diseases by the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine

“…The Hantavirus is a member of the Bunyaviridae family and the genus includes N 50 different viruses that manifest with a wide spectrum of clinical illnesses [26]. The pathogenesis of Hantavirus is related to the targeting of vascular endothelial cells, alveolar macrophages and follicular dendritic cells, as well as the renal tubular epithelium [27].…”