A new peer reviewed study has triggered additional worries regarding the prolonged survival of hantavirus in the human body, indicating that the hantavirus can stay in semen for as much as six years after infection. The results suggest a possibility of transmission through sexual contact long after a person feels better, researchers said. The researchers at the Swiss government research institute Spiez Laboratory, which studies threats from biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, published the study in the journal Viruses. Health professionals have urged the revision of health guidelines for male survivors, as is being done for other diseases like Ebola.
What Does The Study Review?
The study focused on a 55 year old Swiss who caught hantavirus from the Andes strain while visiting South America. Scientists found that although the virus had completely disappeared from the man’s blood, urine and respiratory system, traces of viral genetic material were still detectable in his semen nearly 71 months later. It is thought that the male reproductive system, in particular the testes, can serve as a ‘reservoir’ where some viruses can avoid the body’s immune response. Other viruses have been seen to be present in semen long after someone has recovered from infection, including Ebola and Zika.
Can Hantavirus Spread Through Sex?
The study also said that no case of hantavirus being spread through sex has ever been confirmed, but that can’t be ruled out on the basis of the findings. Researchers cited past Ebola epidemics as a case in point of how viruses can persist beyond the initial epidemic. The 2021 Ebola outbreak in Guinea, which resulted in a number of deaths, was traced back to a survivor of the big West African outbreak who was believed to have spread the virus to others through sexual contact. The researchers noted that the hantavirus discovery adds to the evidence that survivors of the disease should be tracked closely, and that preventive guidelines to minimize potential transmission of the disease should be established.
Any Important Update For Men About Hantavirus?
Male hantavirus patients may require safe sex even after quarantines are over, health analysts advise. The advice coming from global health monitoring firm Airfinity was largely in sync with World Health Organization guidance for people who have survived Ebola . For male survivors, the WHO says it’s best to keep up with routine checks of their semen, and either avoid sex, or use condoms in a consistent way, until they receive two negative test results back to back. Beyond that, there are other precautions that really should be followed to reduce possible risks, like washing promptly after any contact with semen.
How Does Hantavirus Spreads?
The situation has also been picked up because some hantavirus infections are now being tracked by authorities, linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship and also to other recent infections that are being monitored across Britain. Research into how hantavirus spreads is still ongoing, and officials say the guidance could shift later once more info becomes available. The UK Health Security Agency said it keeps reviewing overseas research, and it will provide guidance when needed for anyone who is a close contact or a confirmed case.
Is This Study Valuable For Hantavirus?
The researchers add that their findings help widen the collection of evidence suggesting some infectious diseases can stay dormant in humans for longer periods than earlier assumptions indicated, which raises questions about how to watch for them and how to plan and prepare for future disease outbreaks .
