Hantavirus may persist in human semen for up to six years and could potentially be transmitted sexually, according to a peer-reviewed study of a long-term patient case.
Researchers at Switzerland's Spiez Laboratory tracked a 55-year-old man who contracted hantavirus in South America. Although the virus disappeared from his blood, urine and respiratory tract during recovery, viral genetic material was detectable in his semen 71 months after infection, the 2023 paper reports.
Hantavirus usually spreads to humans through rodent exposure and can, in rare cases, cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a severe illness with a fatality rate of 25-40 per cent. The World Health Organisation has described it as a disease of major public health concern. The disease gained attention after 11 cases, including three deaths, were reported on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
The findings have prompted suggestions that the WHO should revise its guidance, which currently recommends monitoring and quarantine of high-risk contacts for 42 days after exposure. Airfinity, a company tracking global health risks, has suggested that male patients should receive extensive safe-sex guidance beyond that period, including condom use and thorough washing after contact with semen, similar to WHO protocols for Ebola survivors.
The UK Health Security Agency, which is monitoring British passengers from the MV Hondius, said there are currently no confirmed cases of hantavirus in England. It stated that all guidance is kept under constant review and that individuals confirmed as cases or contacts would be provided with appropriate public health advice. The study does not confirm how often sexual transmission occurs but indicates it is biologically plausible and warrants further investigation.
