Rapid response and surveillance for high-risk contacts during May 2026 Andes hantavirus outbreak: a Northern Italy experience.

Sara Laura Ferrari, Stefano Odelli, Marta Colaneri, Alice Baratelli, Simone Di Stefano, Luca Meroni, Davide Mileto, Alessandro Mancon, Angela Ancona, Sabrina Senatore, Anna Carole D'Amelio, Marino Faccini, Luigi Vezzosi, Gabriele Del Castillo, Antonio Piralla, Raffaele Bruno, Danilo Cereda, Fausto Baldanti, Andrea Gori

Journal: Frontiers in public health 2026;14():1907655

PMID: 42620593

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Abstract

In May 2026, an outbreak of Andes hantavirus (ANDV) linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius prompted international contact tracing across multiple countries. Although population-level risk was low, the severity of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and limited evidence on person-to-person transmission supported precautionary management of selected contacts. Lombardy Region, Northern Italy, was notified of a contact-tracing chain involving four individuals: two direct flight-related contacts exposed to confirmed ANDV cases during international air travel and their two accompanying close contacts. A coordinated response was activated through regional, national, and international public health authorities. All four were referred to Luigi Sacco University Hospital and managed under precautionary measures proportionate to their exposure category. RT-PCR testing for ANDV was negative in all four. This experience illustrates how imported pathogens may generate complex regional demands even when population-level risk remains low, and underscores the value of predefined preparedness frameworks.

Copyright © 2026 Ferrari, Odelli, Colaneri, Baratelli, Di Stefano, Meroni, Mileto, Mancon, Ancona, Senatore, D’Amelio, Faccini, Vezzosi, del Castillo, Piralla, Bruno, Cereda, Baldanti, Gori and Collaborating Centre Study Group on Hantavirus.

Address: Department of Infectious Diseases, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.; Centre for Multidisciplinary Action for Global Health (MAGH), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.; Medical Direction Unit, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.; National PhD Programme in One Health Approaches to Infectious Diseases and Life Science Research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.; Centre for Multidisciplinary Action for Global Health (MAGH), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), University of Milan, Milan, Italy.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, and Bioemergencies, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.; National PhD Programme in One Health Approaches to Infectious Diseases and Life Science Research, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Directorate General for Health of the Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy.; Agenzia di Tutela della Salute (ATS) Milano, Milan, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Directorate General for Health of the Lombardy Region, Milan, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Department of Microbiology and Virology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.; Infectious Diseases Unit I, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.; Regional Center for Infectious Diseases (CeReMI), Milan, Italy.; Department of Microbiology and Virology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.; Department of Clinical-Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.

DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1907655

MeSH Terms: Humans, Italy, Disease Outbreaks, Hantavirus Infections, Contact Tracing, Orthohantavirus, Ships, Travel