LITERATURE UPDATE
orthohantaviruses. The information gathered could provide a valid basis for the implementation of further surveillance systems in a country lacking up-to-date data.
Stability of Andes virus and its inactivation by WHO-recommended hand-rub formulations and surface disinfectants Nilsson-Payant BE, Dafi RF, Krüger S J Hosp Infect. 2025 Dec; 166: 5–11. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2025.08.010.
Hantaviruses are responsible for thousands of infections globally. In the absence of vaccines or targeted treatments for severe diseases such as haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, medical care focuses solely on managing symptoms. As a result, preventive hygiene measures, such as disinfection, are essential to reduce transmission and minimise the virus’s impact on human health. The aim of this study was to assess
the effectiveness of commonly used disinfectants in inactivating Andes virus (ANDV) and evaluate the virus’s stabilty to support evidence-based hygiene strategies. The virucidal activity of hand
antiseptics against ANDV was assessed using a quantitative suspension test in accordance with the European guideline EN14476. Surface disinfection efficacy was evaluated according to EN16777 and virus stability was assessed on stainless steel. These findings indicate that ANDV has
lower environmental stability compared to other enveloped viruses and can be effectively inactivated by all disinfectants tested. These data can inform risk assessments, especially in areas where hantavirus outbreaks are common, and may guide cleaning protocols both for healthcare environments and high-risk public spaces.
Characterization of minigenome systems for Hantaan and Seoul hantaviruses Jain S, Shrivastava-Ranjan P, Montgomery JM, Spiropoulou CF, Albariño CG. Virus Res. 2026 Jan; 363: 199678. doi: 10.1016/
j.virusres.2025.199678.
Some rodent-borne hantaviruses are known to cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Europe and Asia, and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in the Americas. Despite the significant public health threat caused by hantaviruses, there are no antiviral therapeutics approved to treat hantavirus infections. One of the major limitations to study these viruses is the requirement for biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) containment.
Nanopore sequencing has been used in epidemiological surveillance and phylogenetic diversity studies of hantavirus in Korea (Illustration of how an electrical signal is generated from DNA passing through a nanopore channel).
To address this concern, the authors
previously generated a Seoul virus (SEOV) minigenome system which could be used to screen antivirals at BSL-2 level. Here, they report the development of a similar minigenome system based on the L segment of the prototype hantavirus, Hantaan virus (HTNV). In addition, they examined the activity of minigenomes based on M and S segments of SEOV and HTNV. Furthermore, they used the new HTNV minigenome system to confirm the activity of a selected group of antiviral compounds targeting the viral polymerase. All tested compounds (2’-deoxy-2’-
fluorocytidine, baloxavir, remdesivir and ribavirin) show potent anti-HTNV activity. The minigenome systems could be useful tools to study replication mechanisms and to screen antiviral compounds against hantaviruses at lower containment laboratories.
Epidemiological surveillance and phylogenetic diversity of Orthohantavirus hantanense using high-fidelity nanopore sequencing, Republic of Korea Park K, Kim J, Noh J et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025 Feb 7; 19 (2): e0012859. doi: 10.1371/
journal.pntd.0012859. eCollection 2025 Feb.
Orthohantavirus hantanense (HTNV) poses a substantial global public health threat due to its role in causing haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). HTNV outbreaks are particularly prevalent in the Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces of the Republic of Korea (ROK). This study aimed to evaluate the application of advanced nanopore sequencing and
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bioinformatics to generate complete genome sequences of HTNV, with the objective of accurately identifying infection sources and analysing their genetic diversity. In 2022 and 2023, the authors
collected 579 small mammals from 11 distinct locations across Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces, as well as in Gwangju Metropolitan City, ROK. Among these, 498 Apodemus agrarius specimens were subjected to an epidemiological survey to investigate HTNV infections. The serological and molecular positivity of HTNV were found to be 65/498 (13.1%) and 17/65 (26.2%), respectively. Furthermore, 15 whole-genome sequences of HTNV were obtained from rodents in Gyeonggi and Gangwon Provinces. The authors developed a novel amplicon-based nanopore sequencing approach to acquire high-fidelity and precise genomic sequences of HTNV. Genome exchange analysis revealed three reassortant candidates, including heterogeneous L segments, from Paju-si and Yeoncheon- gun in Gyeonggi Province. These findings enhance the resolution of the spatiotemporal genomic surveillance of HTNV by consistently providing new viral sequences and epidemiological data from HFRS- endemic regions in the ROK. This report signifies a notable advancement in nanopore sequencing techniques and bioinformatics, offering a robust platform for genome-based diagnostics and sophisticated phylogenetic analyses of orthohantaviruses, which are essential for public health strategies aimed at controlling HFRS.
PPi
DataBase Center for Life Science (DBCLS) CC BY 4.0 Wikimedia Commons
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