(NewsNation) — A 2023 study suggesting the hantavirus can live for years in semen and be transmitted sexually long after infection is getting attention following the deadly outbreak on the MV Hondius.
Three passengers on the Dutch‑flagged cruise ship died after contracting the Andes strain of hantavirus, and several others were infected. A small number of Americans who disembarked have either tested positive or are being monitored in the United States.
Global health officials say the Andes strain — the only known form of hantavirus capable of person‑to‑person transmission — is not expected to trigger a pandemic. However, the virus has a mortality rate estimated at up to 40%.
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The recent cases have prompted renewed focus on a peer‑reviewed study, “Presence and Persistence of Andes Virus RNA in Human Semen,” published in 2023 in the journal Viruses.
In that study, Swiss researchers analyzed a 55‑year‑old man who had survived severe complications from Andes hantavirus nearly six years earlier. While the virus was no longer detected in his blood or urine, researchers found viral RNA in his semen.
Based on those findings, the researchers concluded that sexual transmission of the virus could be possible for up to 71 months after the initial infection, though they noted more research is needed to better understand the risk.
Scientists said the persistence of pathogens in the male reproductive system is not unique. Viruses such as Ebola and Zika have also been shown to remain in semen and, in some cases, be transmitted sexually.
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