An individual from Illinois is being closely monitored due to a suspected hantavirus infection. Health officials reported that he may have contracted the disease while cleaning a residence that had rat droppings.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is currently investigating this potential case in Winnebago County, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention performs additional tests to confirm the infection. Results from the CDC could take as long as ten days.
It is important to note that this man’s situation is not associated with the recent hantavirus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship, where at least 11 passengers fell ill, and three tragically lost their lives after the virus spread during a voyage to Antarctica.
Investigators suggest that his exposure likely came from cleaning an area where rodents had been present. Dr. Alfredo Mena Lora, an Infectious Disease Specialist at Saint Anthony Hospital, mentioned, “Typically, we see it in cases like this one, where someone was cleaning an area where rats may have dwelled.”
Health officials said the man is experiencing mild symptoms and does not require hospitalization at this time. He is expected to recover while remaining under close observation.
The suspected strain is believed to be a North African variant of hantavirus, which is not transmitted between people. This stands in contrast to the Andes strain associated with the recent deadly outbreak aboard the MV Hondius, which can spread through human contact in rare instances.
Hantavirus infections are relatively rare in the United States, with around 900 confirmed cases documented by the CDC since they began tracking these infections in 1993. Last year, hantavirus complications were highlighted in connection with the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife.
Recently, an American physician who treated passengers during the MV Hondius outbreak revealed that he has also contracted hantavirus. Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, a retired oncologist from Bend, Oregon, provided care after the original ship’s doctor fell ill.
Kornfeld confirmed to CNN that he tested positive for the virus and is now isolated in a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Despite testing positive, he has reported no symptoms thus far.
He has expressed concerns, stating, “It is still possible that the test represents an evolving disease, and I will get symptoms down the road. This is why I’m in the biocontainment unit.” He joined the cruise in Argentina last month, initially describing it as a “trip of a lifetime” before the outbreak led to international concern.
