The UK Health Security Agency has released updated comprehensive guidance on hantaviruses, underscoring the persistent threat posed by these rare but potentially fatal viral infections. While hantavirus cases remain uncommon in the United Kingdom, healthcare professionals are urged to maintain heightened awareness due to the severity of associated diseases and the possibility of imported cases from endemic regions worldwide.
Hantaviruses are transmitted to humans primarily through inhalation of aerosolised rodent excreta or direct contact with infected animals. The infection causes two distinct clinical syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, predominantly occurring in the Americas with fatality rates exceeding 50%, and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, more prevalent in Europe and Asia with mortality rates between 1% and 15%. Currently, no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine exists, making surveillance and early detection critical for patient outcomes.
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