A local health expert who has done extensive research on hantaviruses says the public should not worry about this developing into another pandemic.
“To reassure everyone, these viruses rarely infect humans. They rarely cause person to person transmission,” said Dr. Regina Rowe, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
The Ontario County Public Health Department reported last week that it’s investigating a suspected case of locally acquired hantavirus. Officials said it is a mild case, is no threat to the community and is a different strain than what was transmitted on the MV Hondius cruise ship. That outbreak has killed three.
Rowe said the respiratory virus infects and persists in rodents, and humans become infected accidentally when they inhale either dropping or urine excreta from the rodents. The reaction in humans is robust.
“There's something overactive in our response to these viruses,” Rowe said. “That's what's really interesting about these viruses, that they can coexist in nature without causing a lot of disruption to their natural host.”
Research also suggests that global warming exacerbates the spread of these zoonotic diseases, which are sensitive to temperature, rainfall and humidity. Rowe said climate change also allows for “more interaction with nature and disturbances of their natural environment and habitat,” which results in this spillover transmission.
“The public need not worry about this being another pandemic, although we do still have a limited understanding of this viral family,” Rowe said. “Because it's (hantavirus) just not as common.”
Rowe said if you encounter large amounts of rodent infestation, like when cleaning out a barn or shed, you should wear a mask, have proper ventilation, and always practice good hand hygiene.
