A newborn infected by Andes virus suggests novel routes of hantavirus transmission: A case report

BELLOMO, CARLA; ALONSO, DANIEL; COELHO, ROCÍO; IGLESIAS, AYELÉN; PERIOLO, NATALIA; MARTINEZ, VALERIA P.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2019

1198-743X

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) was described in Argentina in 1995 when Andes virus (ANDV) was firstly characterized. HPS is a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans mainly from rodent reservoirs; however, person-to-person transmission has been well documented for ANDV. HPS is characterized by severe noncardiogenic pulmonary edema resulting in respiratory compromise, with a case-fatality higher than 30%. The aim of the present study was to describe the first newborn case infected with ANDV and to assess possible routes of viral transmission including novel possibilities: intrauterine, perinatal, and breastfeeding infections.