What is Hantavirus?
Present in Europe — and often unrecognised
Hantavirus is not something entirely new or exotic. It occurs endemically across Central Europe — in Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Scandinavia. It is most commonly transmitted through contact with rodents, primarily through inhaling dust contaminated with their droppings, urine or saliva.
European strains typically cause a milder course of illness and are often mistaken for flu, a heavy cold, or general exhaustion. In practice, some people may have already had it without knowing.
Types of Hantavirus
Puumala (PUUV) — the most common European strain. Causes Nephropathia Epidemica — a mild to moderate kidney disease. Low mortality. Found across Central and Northern Europe.
Dobrava-Belgrade (DOBV) — more severe European strain, found in the Balkans. Higher risk of complications.
Andes virus (ANDV) — South American strain. The only known hantavirus capable of spreading from person to person, in rare cases and through very close prolonged contact. Responsible for the cases aboard MV Hondius in 2026.
Sin Nombre virus (SNV) — North American strain. Causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), with mortality around 35–40%.
Transmission
How hantavirus spreads
Unlike Ebola, hantavirus does not spread through contact with ill people in most cases. The primary route of transmission is environmental — through rodents.
The virus spreads through:
- inhaling dust contaminated with rodent droppings, urine or saliva
- direct contact with infected rodents or their nests
- bites from infected rodents (rare)
- person-to-person — only documented with the Andes strain, in very close prolonged contact
When is a person most infectious? (Andes strain)
A person is not infectious during the incubation period — which lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Infectiousness begins only with the onset of symptoms. Early isolation of symptomatic individuals remains the key protective measure.
How the virus works
Mechanism and progression
Hantavirus, like Ebola, targets the vascular endothelium — the thin cellular lining of blood vessel walls. This shared mechanism is what makes both viruses particularly dangerous in their severe forms.
The virus triggers vascular hyperpermeability — blood vessels begin to leak fluid into surrounding tissue. In serious cases this leads to fluid accumulating in the lungs (Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome) or kidney failure (Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome).
Days 1–5
Early phase
Fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue. Easily confused with flu.
Days 5–10
Middle phase
Cough, shortness of breath (HPS) or kidney problems (HFRS) begin to develop.
Days 7–14
Critical phase
In serious cases — respiratory failure, circulatory collapse, or acute kidney failure.
People who survive typically begin to recover after the critical phase passes. European strains (Puumala) rarely reach the critical phase.
Treatment & vaccination
The current situation
There is no approved vaccination for hantavirus.
There is no proven specific treatment.
*(as of May 2026)*
The only thing we can do — is support the body and act early.
Current treatment is supportive — oxygen therapy, fluid management, and maintaining organ function. With European strains, most patients recover fully with supportive care.
Protection
What actually works
- Avoid contact with rodents and their habitats — barns, attics, woodpiles
- When cleaning potentially contaminated areas — use a damp cloth, never dry sweep
- Wear gloves and a mask when cleaning rodent-contaminated spaces
- Frequent hand washing — soap and water or alcohol-based sanitiser (min. 70%)
- If you suspect contact with Andes strain — monitor your health for 2–4 weeks
- At the first flu-like symptoms following potential exposure — contact a doctor immediately
Supporting immune and vascular function
In the absence of approved treatment, early support of the body's natural defence mechanisms becomes especially relevant.
Two compounds — rutin and ascorbic acid — are the subject of growing scientific interest in the context of viral infections that target the vascular system.
Rutin is documented as a compound capable of reducing vascular permeability and inhibiting inflammatory processes in endothelial cells — exactly the processes that hantavirus activates, causing vessels to leak and the associated complications.
Ascorbic acid supports immune function at the cellular level and contributes to the structural integrity of vascular tissue through collagen synthesis.
Neither of these compounds is an approved treatment for hantavirus. They are nutrients available in food supplement form — however, given the absence of any approved specific therapy, their safe profile and documented vascular-supporting properties may offer some hope as a complementary form of support for the body.
Early support of the body — before illness takes hold — is a principle recognised by medicine across many infectious diseases. In a situation where no specific treatment exists, every safe means of supporting the body's natural defences may matter.
Current situation
Hantavirus in 2026
- MV Hondius outbreak, 2026 — Andes virus cases detected among passengers near the Canary Islands
- European endemic strains (Puumala, Dobrava) — present across Central and Northern Europe, typically mild
- Risk of widespread transmission in Europe — remains low
- No approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment *(as of May 2026)*
- Hantavirus has been known to medicine for decades
- European strains typically cause mild illness
- Person-to-person transmission only documented with the Andes strain
- The risk of a widespread European outbreak remains very low
- Modern diagnostics and monitoring are far better than in the past