In April 2026, the MV Hondius set off from Patagonia. A few weeks later, this cruise raised concerns among health institutions in Europe, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand: Some passengers had developed severe hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), three of them died.1 The outbreak drew attention to the pathogen, which was previously mainly associated with remote regions of South America, namely the Andes virus from the Hantaviridae family (ANDV).
Hantaviruses: Not all are the same
The hantaviruses that are endemic in Europe and Asia, previously known as “Old World hantaviruses” (in Europe mainly Puumala virus) typically cause a febrile haemorrhagic disease with kidney involvement (HFRS or nephropathia endemica), which is fatal in around 1% to 15% of cases. ANDV, on the other hand, belongs to the “New World hantaviruses” and primarily leads to severe pulmonary syndrome with respiratory failure and a high mortality rate of up to 50%.²
Especially relevant: While all other hantaviruses are transmitted only by rodents, ANDV is the only hantavirus with documented cases of human-to-human transmission to date.
Consequently, the risk profile is fundamentally different. A single case can suddenly turn into a potential outbreak scenario, requiring not only prompt diagnosis but also contact tracing, isolation and international coordination.
The outbreak on the MV Hondius has shown how fast a regional pathogen can become relevant on a global level. The passengers were returned to their home countries, among them several European states and Canada.
Proper preparation does not start with a high-security lab
Not every hospital needs a specialised, high-security lab for diagnostics whenever an infectious disease is imported. However, valuable time can be lost while a sample is sent to a national reference centre for special analysis.
The virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit from Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine commented in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe that commercially available serological methods play an important role in handling infections with the South American hantavirus in Europe in the best possible way. This is because they allow routine laboratories to analyse samples promptly. While this does not eliminate the need for a definitive diagnosis made by a reference centre, the initial results can inform medical decisions that need to be made quickly.3
Serology and its relevance in diagnostics
As opposed to many acute viral infections, patients with HCPS are often positive for the first IgM class antibodies as soon as symptoms appear. Several studies confirm that antibodies against the viral nucleocapsid protein present early and strongly, making serology a valuable tool in acute diagnostics.3
Multiparameter test systems also offer another advantage: They enable parallel detection of antibodies against different “Old World” or “New World” hantavirus types in a single test. Especially in cases of imported infections of unclear origin, this may significantly accelerate and facilitate the diagnostic assessment.
Euroimmun solutions for hantavirus serology
Our range of specialised serological test systems is designed to meet the diagnostic requirements for hantavirus infections.
In the current situation, the following products are especially relevant for laboratory routine:
Hantavirus Pool 2 “America” ELISA
The ELISA provides detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against the American hantaviruses Sin Nombre (SNV) and ANDV and is particularly suited for:
- Serological screening
- Clarification of imported infections
- Differential diagnostics in returning travellers
In this way, the assay can provide important information on HCPS-associated infections.
Hantavirus Mosaic 3 “America” IIFT
The indirect immunofluorescence assay provides differentiated serological characterisation and includes two different BIOCHIPs, which are coated with SNV (BIOCHIP 1) and ANDV-infected cells (BIOCHIP 2).
In this way, the assay is especially suited for:
- Serological confirmation
- Differentiated antibody profiles
You can find further information on our product range for hantavirus diagnostis on our website: Emerging Diseases | Euroimmun
1WHO: Hantavirus cluster linked to cruise ship travel, Multi-country, Stand 13.05.2026
2WHO: Hantavirus
3Velavan, T. P., Schmidt-Chanasit, J. Preparing Europe for imported Andes virus: the role of rapid serology and molecular diagnostics. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2026.101724 (2026)
