EDITORIAL. Hantavirus en Venezuela: una amenaza siempre latente.

Abstract

Hantavirus in Venezuela: an ever-present threat Hantaviruses belong to the genus Orthohantavirus, which comprises approximately 40 species of viruses whose natural reservoirs are rodents, in which infection is persistent and asymptomatic. Occasionally, they can be transmitted to humans, primarily through inhala-tion of rodent excreta, and cause severe illness. Old World hantaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, with a mortality rate between 1% and 15%, while New World hantaviruses cause cardiopulmonary syndrome, with a mortality rate between 21% and 50%. Human-to-human transmission is not described, with the sole exception of the Andes virus. In Venezuela, two hantavirus species have been identified in rodents: The Caño Delgadito virus and the Maporal virus. Human cases of hantavirus have been reported in the country over the last three years. Identifying the viral species involved in human cases in Venezuela is of particular interest, as the virus causing disease in humans has not yet been identified. Surveillance of cases in endemic areas is also recommended, both in humans and in rodents. Hantaviruses are a clear example of a global health problem that requires a One Health ap-proach for effective control.