[Hantavirus] Sharing to Better Protect: A Collective Scientific Response to Re-emerging Infectious Threats

The recent hantavirus outbreak following fatalities aboard a cruise ship highlighted the importance of international collaboration and knowledge exchange. This unusual and complex situation raised many questions for healthcare professionals and underscored the need to draw on the experience of teams already working on these pathogens.

The webinar brought together two experts, Professor Loïc Epelboin and Professor Solen Kernéis, to share their insights, with a particular focus on the work conducted by Pr. Epelboin and his colleagues on the Maripa virus in French Guiana. Their research provides valuable perspectives on the biology of hantaviruses, their relationship to the Andes virus variant, and the practical measures required for preparedness and patient management.

According to Professor Loïc Epelboin, hantavirus in French Guiana is not a historical artifact but an active, evolving zoonotic threat requiring transdisciplinary vigilance:

“For clinical vigilance, we must screen (serology and PCR) all atypical, community-acquired pneumonias. We need to be particularly alert to patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms and paradoxical haemoconcentration / hypoproteinaemia as primary diagnostic triggers. For ecological surveillance, we must maintain continuous eco-epidemiological trapping and monitor land-use changes (such as slash-and-burn practices and unplanned urbanization) that force contact between humans and Oligoryzomys / Zygodontomys. For public health and community outreach, experience from 2023 demonstrated the value of sustaining mobile health mediation programs, notably through the Red Cross. Environmental health education remains the only viable prophylactic measure in informal settlements where infrastructure interventions are absent.”

Participants also had the opportunity to learn about the rapid assessment of transmission risks carried out at Bichat Hospital in Paris, where Pr. Kernéis and her team are currently managing both confirmed cases and contacts. The discussions covered the decision-making process in a real-world setting, from evaluating transmission parameters to implementing infection prevention and control measures.

“Reflecting on this hantavirus outbreak (which kept healthcare workers extremely busy at Bichat Hospital) is essential in order to prepare for the next one. International coordination is a key factor. From a global perspective, preparedness was well handled, at least at the institution where I work; however, training and the maintenance of healthcare workers’ competencies remain a significant challenge. I also noted considerable variation in the management of contact cases in the countries where patients were identified, which highlights the need to establish internationally standardized procedures, challenging as that may be.” Pr. Solen Kernéis

Beyond the scientific aspects, the webinar served as a platform to exchange practical experience on organizing patient care pathways, protecting healthcare workers, and ensuring the safety of both patients and hospital staff. By sharing frontline expertise, initiatives like this help strengthen preparedness, reinforce the collective response to re-emerging infectious diseases, and underscore the importance of a coordinated international response.