ANSP: Risk of hantavirus infection in Moldova remains low

The National Agency for Public Health (ANSP) announces that the risk of hantavirus infection for the population of the Republic of Moldova remains low, in the context of cases recently reported on board a cruise ship sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

The institution provided information on the particularities of this infection and specified that, to date, no confirmed cases of hantavirus in humans have been recorded in the Republic of Moldova.

According to ANSP, hantaviruses are a group of viruses that naturally affect certain species of rodents and that can occasionally be transmitted to humans. The infection is a zoonosis, and transmission occurs most frequently through inhalation of contaminated particles from the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. Infection can also occur through contact of contaminated secretions with mucous membranes or skin lesions and, more rarely, through rodent bites.

According to data from the World Health Organization, the initial symptoms of the disease are non-specific and may resemble those of other acute infections. They usually appear one to eight weeks after exposure and include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In some cases, kidney impairment and hemorrhagic manifestations may occur.

ANSP notes that, at present, the risk to the population in Europe is considered low. The prevention and control measures applied on board the ship are adequate, and human-to-human transmission of hantaviruses is extremely rare and limited only to certain viral strains that do not commonly circulate in Europe.

The institution emphasizes that epidemiological surveillance of the infection is carried out within the national system for monitoring communicable diseases, and suspected cases can be investigated using specific laboratory diagnostic methods.

To reduce the risk of infection, the population is urged to maintain cleanliness in homes, storage areas, and workplaces; to avoid direct contact with rodents and their excreta; to store food under safe conditions; and to avoid sweeping or vacuuming dried rodent droppings.

At the same time, people returning from regions where hantavirus cases have been reported and who present compatible symptoms are advised to consult a doctor as soon as possible and to inform medical staff about their recent travel history and any possible exposure to rodents.