Swiss scientists have made a disturbing discovery regarding the deadly Hantavirus, finding that it may be able to survive in the semen of infected men for up to 6 years after the initial infection.
This means that a person may transmit the virus to others through sexual intercourse, even years after a full recovery and the disappearance of symptom
scientists from the Spiez Laboratory examined a 55-year-old man who had contracted the Andean strain of hantavirus in South America six years earlier. This is the same strain that recently appeared on the luxury cruise ship MV Hondus, where an outbreak of the virus killed three passengers, infected eight others, and quarantined dozens to prevent further spread of the infection.
When researchers examined the man, they found no trace of the virus in his blood, urine, or respiratory system, suggesting he had apparently recovered. However, the surprise came when they discovered the virus was still present in his semen, 71 months (nearly six years) after his initial infection.
Scientists explain this phenomenon by suggesting that a man's testicles may act as a "reservoir" or "safe haven" where the virus can hide, beyond the reach of the body's immune system. This mechanism is not entirely new; it has been observed previously with other dangerous viruses such as Ebola and Zika.
Scientists have found that sperm cells are protected from attacks by the immune system because the body needs them to reproduce, making them an ideal environment for some viruses to hide.
The researchers say: "Our results show that the Andes virus has the potential to be sexually transmitted."
It is worth noting that sexual transmission of the Hanta virus has not been documented before, but this scenario did occur with the Ebola virus, where an outbreak of the disease in Guinea in 2021 was linked to a survivor of a previous epidemic who transmitted the virus sexually years after his recovery.
In light of this discovery, Irfinity, a company specializing in tracking global health risks, recommends that male patients infected with Hantavirus receive "extended safe sex guidance beyond the 42-day quarantine period," and that this guidance be similar to the protocols followed with Ebola survivors.
The World Health Organization's Ebola protocols stipulate that men who have recovered from the disease must undergo semen testing every three months to detect traces of the virus, and are only considered Ebola-free after two consecutive negative results. Until then, these men are advised to abstain from all sexual activity or to use condoms consistently and correctly.
Swiss scientists say there is evidence that at least 27 different viruses can be found in human semen, some causing chronic infections and others acute infections. They assert that this is the first study to document the persistence of a virus from the Bunyaviridae family for nearly six years in a patient's semen samples.
