Hantavirus could live in a man’s sperm for six years after infection, apeer-reviewedscientific paper has claimed. The discovery means that men infected with the virus, which recently infected at least 11 cases, including three fatalities, on a cruise ship, could be forced to dramatically alter their sexual practices for years to come.
Researchers found Andes virus genetic material in the semen of a 55-year-old man inSwitzerland71 months after he first became ill. The case, published in the journal Viruses, involved a man who developedhantaviruscardiopulmonary syndrome after travelling throughSouth Americain 2016. Andes virus is a strain of hantavirus found in parts ofChileandArgentinaand is usually spread to humans through contact with infected rodents.
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They found that while the virus could no longer be detected in the man’s blood, urine or respiratory tract, traces of it were still present in his semen 71 months later.
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As has been seen with other viruses such asEbolaandZika, the male testes may serve as a “reservoir”, allowing the virus to persist while avoiding the body’s immune defences.
Hantavirus infections can initially cause flu-like symptoms before, in severe cases, progressing to breathing difficulties and heart and lung failure.
Andes virus is considered particularly concerning because it is one of the few hantaviruses for which person-to-person transmission has previously been documented.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
