There is still no cure: vaccines against hantavirus are currently in development
10 May 17:04
There are still no approved vaccines or specific treatments for hantavirus; several promising drugs are in development, but research is hampered by a lack of funding. This is reported by The New York Times, as cited by "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to medical experts, the primary treatment for hantavirus infection is currently supportive care. Existing antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin, have questionable efficacy against the strain of hantavirus identified on the cruise ship MV Hondius.
Several promising vaccines are in various stages of development, scientists note. In particular, a DNA vaccine against the only hantavirus transmitted from person to person showed good results during initial clinical trials, with over 80% of participants developing neutralizing antibodies. Among the drawbacks is the need for at least three doses.
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Some research teams are developing therapeutic antibody treatments using blood samples from people who have recovered from hantavirus.
Other studies are also underway. In particular, scientists have found that favipiravir—an antiviral drug approved for treating influenza in Japan—inhibits hantavirus in human cells.
The main challenge for research remains a lack of funding and commercial interest, as hantavirus infections are relatively rare.
“It is very difficult to conduct clinical trials when only a limited number of cases are reported annually. There aren’t enough people to truly demonstrate a sustained effect,” said Bryce Warner, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan.
As a reminder, an outbreak of hantavirus occurred on the cruise ship MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in three deaths. According to the itinerary on the ship’s website, the MV Hondius departed from Ushuaia in southern Argentina on March 20 and was scheduled to complete its voyage on May 4 in Cape Verde.
South African Health Ministry spokesperson Foster Mohale reported that there were about 150 tourists from various countries on board the ship.
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