Hantaviruses are negative sense RNA viruses in the Bunyaviridae family. Humans may be infected with Hantaviruses through rodent bites, urine, saliva or contact with rodent waste products. Some Hantaviruses cause potentially fatal diseases in humans, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantavirus diseases are acute viral diseases in which the vascular endothelium is damaged, leading to increased vascular permeability, hypotension, haemorrhagic manifestations and shock. Impaired renal function with oliguria is characteristic of HFRS. Respiratory failure caused by acute non-cardiogenic pulmonary oedema occurs in HPS .Human infections of Hantaviruses have almost entirely been linked to human contact with rodent excrement, but recent human-to-human transmission has been reported with the Andes virus in South America. Hantavirus is carried by rodents, especially deer mice. The virus is found in their urine and feces, but it does not make the animal sick. It is believed that humans can get sick with this virus if they come in contact with contaminated dust from mice nests or droppings. You may come in contact with such dust when cleaning homes, sheds, or other enclosed areas that have been empty for a long time. Hantavirus is a serious infection that gets worse quickly. Lung failure can occur and may lead to death. Even with aggressive treatment, more than half of people who have this disease in their lungs die.
Complications of Hantavirus may include:• Kidney failure
• Heart and lung failure
Hanta Virus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing Hantavirus infection. These symptoms are very similar to HFRS which includes tachycardia and tachypnoea which can lead to a cardiopulmonary phase, where cardiovascular shock can occur, and hospitalization of the patient is required.
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a group of clinically similar illnesses caused by Hantaviruses from the family Bunyaviridae. HFRS includes diseases such as Korean hemorrhagic fever, epidemic hemorrhagic fever, and nephropathies epidemica.
Taqman Real time PCR assay.
• Detect acute infection prior to seroconversion (ie, within 1-2 weeks post-exposure).
• Assess viral measured by changes in the HANTA RNA levels.
• Assess prognosis and early diagnosis for better patient cure.
• Confirm active HANTA virus infection In patient.
• Any man, woman, or child who is around mice or rats that carry harmful Hantaviruses can get HPS.
Surveillance and control procedures should include:
• When opening an unused cabin, shed, or other building, open all the doors and windows, leave the building, and allow the space to air out for 30 minutes.• Return to the building and spray the surfaces, carpet, and other areas with a disinfectant. Leave the building for another 30 minutes.
• Spray mouse nests and droppings with a 10% solution of chlorine bleach or similar disinfectant. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Using rubber gloves, place the materials in plastic bags. Seal the bags and throw them in the trash or an incinerator or waste disposal. Dispose of gloves and cleaning materials in the same way.
• Wash all potentially contaminated hard surfaces with a bleach or disinfectant solution. Avoid vacuuming until the area has been thoroughly decontaminated. Then, vacuum the first few times with enough ventilation. Surgical masks may provide some protection.
Every day.
3-4 days.
Bronchial swabs & Bronchial lavage (In case of HPS), Urine in case of HFRS, Blood, serum, plasma, Collect in: Lavender (EDTA), pink (K2EDTA), or serum separator tube. Stability collection to initiation of testing On Cells: Ambient: 4 hours; after separation from cells: Refrigerated: 48 hours; Frozen at -20°C: 72 hours; Frozen at -70°C: 4 months. Do not thaw avoid repeated freezing and thawing.
NOTE: Samples should be collected during the viraemic phase for the presence of viruses during the active infection.
Separate serum or plasma from cells within 24 hours.
Frozen-20°C. Refrigerate specimen's at 2°C-4°C.
Heparinized specimens, Hemolysis sample, Quantity not sufficient for analysis, specimen grossly contaminated, specimen too old, frozen whole blood specimen, specimen leaky or tube broken.
This test can quantitate/detect Hantaviruses RNA over the linear range 70-108 copies/mL. However this does not mean that lower copies or higher copies cannot be detected. The lower copies can be detected in some cases. This is a limitation of the currently available extraction systems. A negative result does not preclude the presence of Hantaviruses infection because results depend on adequate/proper patient sample storage and transportation as RNA is fragile and thermo labile, absence of inhibitors and sufficient RNA to be detected.
The result of this test must always be correlated with clinical status and history of the patient and other relevant data and should not be used alone for the interpretation.