BANGKOK, Thailand – Professor Dr Yong Poovorawan, head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, has indicated that the risk posed by hantavirus in Thailand remains very low despite growing international attention surrounding the disease.
Dr Yong said hantavirus strains detected in Thailand differ from the Andes strain currently receiving international attention in South America. He said the virus has existed in Thailand for 40 to 50 years, with evidence of prior infection and antibodies found in both rodents and humans.
Hantavirus is an RNA virus primarily carried by rodents and small mammals, with human infections usually linked to inhalation of dust contaminated by rodent urine, saliva, or feces. The disease can cause fever, muscle pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, kidney failure, hemorrhaging, pulmonary edema, and respiratory failure in severe cases. Authorities said person-to-person transmission is considered rare except for the Andes strain.
Researchers in Thailand have identified hantavirus or related genetic material in several rodent species, including field rats and bandicoot rats, while antibodies have also been detected among people working closely with rodents or in agricultural occupations. However, he said human cases in Thailand remain extremely rare, and there is currently no reason for excessive public concern. (NNT)
