Argentina detects new hantavirus variant in rodents near Ushuaia

Argentina's Ministry of Health announced the first detection of hantavirus in wild rodents captured around Ushuaia, the southern port from which the cruise ship MV Hondius departed. Specialists from the National Institute of Laboratories and Health Institutes (ANLIS‑Malbrán) captured 144 rodents in May and found antibodies against hantavirus in five specimens of the genus Abrothrix. Molecular analysis identified a previously undescribed viral variant closely related to the Andes virus, but distinct from the strain that caused the MV Hondius outbreak, which resulted in three deaths and 13 confirmed infections.

The investigation allowed authorities to "descartar que los roedores analizados hayan sido la fuente de infección vinculada a ese evento," confirming that the rodents are not the source of the cruise‑ship cases. No colilargo mice (the usual reservoir for Andes virus) were captured during the study. The World Health Organization continues to monitor the cruise‑ship outbreak, noting that the remaining 54 under quarantine will be released on 2 July if no new cases appear.

The finding provides new data on hantavirus circulation in the far‑south of Argentina and will guide further ecological and serological research into the role of Abrothrix species in virus transmission.