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“In the face of this health threat, our community has, as always, risen to the occasion and is showcasing the very best of the Institut Pasteur: an exemplary collective effort involving, in particular, the CNR Hantavirus, the CIBU, the Medical Directorate, the DRSE-RT for the receipt of biological products, as well as our scientists who are experts in all aspects of this virus, and the Communications and Public Affairs Directorate. We can be immensely proud of the commitment, excellence, and responsiveness of each and every one of them, which have made it possible to protect the public while showcasing the Pasteur Institute at the highest level.” 

Yasmine Belkaid

Following the alert issued on May 4 by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding a cluster of hantavirus cases on board the MV Hondius cruise ship traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Cabo Verde, the international and French health authorities responded immediately by introducing surveillance and medical treatment.

The Institut Pasteur is on the front line in receiving and analyzing samples from symptomatic patients related to the outbreak, and several of its experts in virology, epidemiology and infectious diseases have also appeared on media outlets to provide explanations for the public and summarize what we currently know about hantaviruses, bearing in mind that characteristics vary in different world regions. The Institut Pasteur also drew on its expertise to determine the complete genome sequence of the hantavirus strain from a blood sample taken from the female French passenger who tested positive.

Here is a round-up of the latest news and some of the media appearances by Institut Pasteur staff over the past two weeks in response to the Andes hantavirus outbreak.

•    News: Andes virus on the MV Hondius cruise ship: what we know about this rare and potentially fatal hantavirus

Hantaviruses are viruses transmitted mainly by wild rodents, which cause severe syndromes in humans. In the context of the current outbreak involving the Andes virus on board the cruise ship MV Hondius, the Institut Pasteur (Paris) is at the forefront of the response. The National Reference Centre (CNR) for Hantaviruses is based at the Institut Pasteur, which receives samples from people living in French exhibiting symptoms for analysis. In this news article, we provide an update on the disease, its modes of transmission, the risks involved and prevention recommendations.  

Find out more

•    Institut Pasteur uses whole-genome sequencing to confirm the Latin American origin of the Andes hantavirus detected on board the MV Hondius

On May 15, teams from the Institut Pasteur established the complete genome sequence of the hantavirus strain detected in a blood sample from the female French passenger who tested positive after traveling on the MV Hondius cruise ship.

Find out more (in French)

•     Institut Pasteur in the media

Listed below are some of the interviews with scientists from the Institut Pasteur who were invited to speak on radio or TV programs or to provide information for press articles in response to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship:

✢ Interviews with Virginie Sauvage, Head of the National Reference Center (CNR) for Hantaviruses in Paris, and Anne Lavergne, Head of the laboratory associated with the Hantavirus CNR at the Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, for the article in Le Monde on May 6, "From Ushuaia to Cabo Verde, how the dream cruise on the MV Hondius turned into a medical nightmare."

Read the article (in French)

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✢ Contribution by Yasmine Belkaid on the 8pm evening news bulletin on France 2 on May 12 (in French): "At the Institut Pasteur it is our role to be vigilant."

✢ Contribution by Arnaud Fontanet on France Inter on May 11 (in French): "Every year, there are 50 to 100 cases in Argentina, linked to rodents [...] The virus arrived via a cruise ship, which is very unusual, and we need to trace the movements of the people on board."

✢ Contribution by Arnaud Fontanet on France 5, C à vous, on May 11 (in French)

✢ Contribution by Olivier Schwartz to the press conference on May 12 at the Ministry of Health(in French, reported by BFM TV): "There are no specific antiviral treatments for hantavirus. Some vaccines under development, especially RNA-based vaccines, are currently in preclinical and clinical trials. The fact that we already know the structure of the envelope glycoprotein means that vaccines can be developed more quickly."

✢ Interview with Jean-Claude Manuguerra on France Culture for the program L'invité(e) des matins on May 13 (in French): "The viruses in the Hantaviridae family are grouped into "Old World" forms (present in Europe, Africa and Asia) and "New World" forms (from the Americas). [...] New World hantaviruses cause cardiopulmonary symptoms that are often more severe."

✢ Interview de Guillemette Masse-Ranson sur TF1 pour un reportage dans le JT de 20H du 13 mai au sujet des projets de recherche de traitements (in French): “Ces foyers épidémiques sont peu fréquents et il y a assez pue d’industriels qui sont intéressés. C’est difficile de trouver des financements”.

✢ Interview with Pablo Guardado-Calvo for an article in Le Monde on May 18, “Hantavirus: how research is being stepped up in response to the Andes strain."

Read the article (in French)

•    Find out more about hantaviruses, transmission, clinical signs, and recommendations to the public and health professionals

The Institut Pasteur has a dedicated fact sheet about hantavirus that is available to the public on its website pasteur.fr. The fact sheet was updated following the ongoing outbreak involving the Andes hantavirus on the MV Hondius cruise ship. It goes without saying that the information about this episode is likely to develop in the coming days and weeks. The Hantavirus CNR is constantly monitoring the situation in conjunction with national and international health authorities.

See the hantavirus fact sheet(in French)