TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Epidemiologist from Griffith University, Dicky Budiman, explained that hantavirus can be transmitted through inhalation of aerosols from dust contaminated with dried rodent urine, feces, or saliva from infected rats.
One strain, known as Andes virus, can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory disease.
“Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a zoonotic disease from the hantavirus family. The main transmission route is inhalation of aerosols, meaning particles from dried urine, feces, or saliva of infected rats are breathed in,” Dicky said in an audio message received by Antara on Wednesday.
He explained that transmission can also occur through contact with surfaces contaminated by rodent urine or droppings. However, this does not easily lead to infection in all cases, as only certain strains such as the Andes virus have limited capability of human-to-human transmission under specific conditions.
How Hantavirus Can Be Fatal
In infected patients, early symptoms typically include fever, muscle pain, and fatigue. The disease can then progress to a critical phase marked by damage to lung blood vessels, fluid leakage, pulmonary edema, and acute respiratory failure.
“Mortality can reach up to 40 percent, mainly due to vascular leakage syndrome, where the lungs fill with fluid leading to severe hypoxia,” he said.
Dicky warned that the condition can worsen rapidly within days, making early detection and treatment crucial. Survival largely depends on timely diagnosis before the disease progresses to severe lung failure.
As of now, there is no specific antiviral treatment for hantavirus. Care is mainly supportive, including oxygen therapy, ventilator support if needed, and strict fluid management. However, he noted that the virus is unlikely to cause a global pandemic because it is not primarily transmitted between humans.
He also urged the public to maintain hygiene, especially in high-risk environments such as ships or enclosed spaces with poor ventilation where rodent exposure may occur.
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