Person-to-Person Household and Nosocomial Transmission of Andes Hantavirus, Southern Chile, 2011

Abstract

Four persons became ill after exposure to a patient infected with the virus; 2 cases involved hospital transmission.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for the treatment of severe refractory hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome

“…The median incubation periods were 30.5 (range 20-49) days in a Yosemite outbreak of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome caused by Sin Nombre virus, 4 and 18 days (range 10-34 days) in a Chilean outbreak caused by the Andes virus. 5 Our patient's disease course closely reflected the four phases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome described in the literature: the prodromal or febrile, cardiopulmonary, oliguric or diuresis, and convalescence phases. Fever, chills, myalgia, headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms characterize the prodromal or febrile phase.…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hantavirus disease and acceptance of a vaccine trial in rural communities of southern Chile

“…A widely reported outbreak of 5 hantavirus cases with 2 deaths and documented person-to-person and nosocomial transmission occurred in Corral in 2011, probably accounting for higher reporting of knowing someone who had hantavirus disease in this locality. 27 Although correct preventive practices like ventilating closed dwellings, using bleach or detergent and not raising dust when cleaning places with rodent droppings were frequently mentioned, 30 and 40% reported presence of rodents inside their homes and storerooms, respectively. Muñoz-Zanzi found an even higher presence of rodents in rural and slum households.…”

Molecular method for the detection of Andes hantavirus infection: validation for clinical diagnostics

“…Ferres et al reported that they can detect viral RNA in peripheral blood cells 5 to 15 days prior to the onset of symptoms and before the appearance of anti-hantavirus antibodies (Ferres et al 2007), so RT-qPCR could prove a better tool than classic antibody detection by ELISA for diagnosis in an early phase of illness. This is also true for a few cases where even in the cardiopulmonary stage, serology by ELISA was negative, probably due to a slow immunological response of the patient (Martinez-Valdebenito et al 2014). In addition, ANDV has been detected by RT-qPCR even 84 days after first day of hospitalization (Ferres et al 2007; Vial et al 2013), making PCR a good diagnostic tool at different stages of the disease, contrasting with infections such as dengue that have shorter viremia (Tang and Ooi 2012).…”

“…Because patients with hantavirus infection require urgent referral to a center with complex intensive care facilities, availability of the RT-qPCR assay is of tremendous relevance, since it has been proven as a reliable diagnostic test at early stages and could be used to direct the decision making process more efficiently. Also, an accurate and faster diagnosis is important in the reinforcement and adherence to isolation precautions in the health personnel to avoid nosocomial transmission (Martinez-Valdebenito et al 2014). This method contrasts to hantavirus specific antibodies detection, which is usually not reliable until late into the febrile prodrome or beginning of the cardiopulmonary stage, making serologic testing not useful for early diagnosis.…”