The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Evidence Against Person-to-Person Transmission of Hantavirus to Health Care Workers
Abstract
Unusual, primarily pulmonary, manifestations of hantaviral illness occurring in the southwestern United States raised the possibility of person-to-person transmission of a recently recognized hantavirus, Sin Nombre virus. To determine whether such transmission had occurred among health care workers (HCWs) exposed to patients with confirmed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, we evaluated HCWs who had cared for patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or who had processed specimens from these patients. Information about exposure to these patients and about recent illnesses was obtained via a standardized questionnaire. Serum specimens were tested for IgM and IgG antibodies to hantaviruses with use of ELISAs. Of the 396 HCWs, 266 (67%) reported that they had been exposed to patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or to their body fluids or that they had processed laboratory specimens from these patients. Although 108 (27%) of the HCWs reported fever, myalgias, or respiratory illnesses during the 3 months before the serum specimens were obtained, hantavirus antibodies were not detected in any HCW. These data suggest that person-to-person transmission of Sin Nombre virus is unlikely to occur in health care settings.
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Evidence from comparative studies does not support human-to-human transmission of hantavirus infection, with the exception of 1 prospective cohort study in Chile with serious risk of bias and no unexposed comparison group.
“Evidence from comparative studies (the strongest level of evidence available) does not support human-to-human transmission of hantavirus infection [12, 15, 27, 34, 36, 38], with the exception of 1 prospective cohort study in Chile with serious RoB and no unexposed comparison group [29].”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
In Vitek 1996, use of some form of PPE was high (82% reported using gloves and 80% reported using some type of mask in all encounters with HPS patients).
“Use of some form of PPE was high (eg, 82% reported using gloves and 80% reported using some type of mask [but no mention of characteristics] in all their encounters with HPS patients).”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
In Vitek 1996, there were no statistically significant differences between exposed and unexposed healthcare workers in the percentage reporting any symptoms of illness since 1 April 1993.
“There were no statistically significant differences between exposed and unexposed HCWs in the percentage reporting any symptoms of illness since 1 April 1993.”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
In Vitek 1996, none of the 396 participants had serological evidence of recent or past hantavirus infection.
“None of the 396 participants had serological evidence of recent or past hantavirus infection.”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
In Vitek 1996, 70.6% of participants reported exposure to patients with HPS.
“70.6% reported exposure to patients with HPS.”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
In Vitek 1996, there was no evidence for human-to-human transmission of hantavirus.
“No evidence for human-to-human transmission.”
From Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [36]
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Padula, P. J., Edelstein, A., Miguel, S. D. L., López, N. M., Rossi, C. M., & Rabinovich, R. D. (1998) · Virology · doi:10.1006/viro.1997.8976 · Cited by 422
An Unusual Hantavirus Outbreak in Southern Argentina: Person-to-Person Transmission?
(1997) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid0302.970210 · Cited by 250
An Outbreak of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Chile, 1997
Toro, J., Vega, J. D., Khan, A. S., Mills, J. N., Padula, P., Terry, W., Yadón, Z., Valderrama, R., Ellis, B. A., Pavletic, C., et al. (1998) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid0404.980425 · Cited by 234
Self-citationPerson-to-Person Household and Nosocomial Transmission of Andes Hantavirus, Southern Chile, 2011
Martinez-Valdebenito, C., Calvo, M., Vial, C., Mansilla, R., Marco, C., Palma, R. E., Vial, P. A., Valdivieso, F., Mertz, G., & Ferrés, M. (2014) · Emerging Infectious Diseases · doi:10.3201/eid2010.140353 · Cited by 162
Evidence for Human-to-Human Transmission of Hantavirus: A Systematic Review
Toledo, J., Haby, M. M., Reveiz, L., Sosa Leon, L., Angerami, R., & Aldighieri, S. (2022) · The Journal of Infectious Diseases · doi:10.1093/infdis/jiab461 · Cited by 78
“The RoB in included studies is a particular concern when trying to determine whether human-to-human transmission of hantavirus is the best explanation for infection in other human contacts.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialCASTILLO, C., VILLAGRA, E., SANHUEZA, L., FERRES, M., MARDONES, J., & MERTZ, G. J. (2004) · The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene · doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2004.70.302 · Cited by 32
Metadata
- Authors
- Vitek, C. R., Breiman, R. F., Ksiazek, T. G., Rollin, P. E., McLaughlin, J. C., Umland, E. T., Nolte, K. B., Loera, A., Sewell, C. M., & Peters, C. J.
- Affiliations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- Corresponding author
- Vitek, C. R.
- Venue
- Clinical Infectious Diseases
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1996-05-01
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 824-826
- ISSN
- 1058-4838 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-6591
- OpenAlex
- W2072625946
- Cited by
- 84
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 8.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Viral Infections and Vectors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Virology and Viral Diseases
- Keywords
- Sin Nombre virus, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, human-to-human transmission, healthcare workers, occupational exposure, hantavirus antibodies, laboratory-acquired infection, nosocomial transmission
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Viral, Disease Outbreaks, Female, Health Personnel, Orthohantavirus, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Immunoglobulin M, Male, Middle Aged, Southwestern United States, Cluster Analysis, Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
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