What is Hantavirus and why did it appear on a cruise ship?
The topic of Hantavirus has sparked a wave of questions following reported cases on a cruise ship. According to Prof. Andrey Chorbanov, head of the Department of Immunology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), the cause for fear is more theoretical than real.
"This type of exotic virus is not a real threat due to the difficult route of transmission," the expert explains.
Ways of infection
The main route of transmission for Hantaviruses is direct contact with the urine and excrement of rodents. However, the cases on ships are explained by the "Andes" strain, which has the rare ability to be transmitted from person to person.
- Intimate contact: Transmission requires very close physical contact, sharing a common living space, or eating together.
- Long incubation period: The virus develops over 1 to 8 weeks, which makes tracking the infection extremely difficult.
Risk of an epidemic
Prof. Chorbanov emphasizes that a mass epidemic is unlikely. The virus does not spread in a "bus-type" manner (airborne transmission during casual contact). Only local outbreaks among people in close physical proximity are possible. The most likely scenario is that the tourists were infected while visiting poorer areas with rodents before boarding the ship.