Could hantavirus be the new emerging pathogen in Kerala?

AI Summary

Researchers are raising concerns about the hantavirus potentially taking root in Kerala, with past cases suggesting a seriousness that warrants public health attention.

Presence of antibodies against the virus in blood samples was reported in the State in 2008 itself and one probable case of the virus-induced ‘hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome’ was reported in 2014. Experts say a good number of ‘leptospirosis-like’ illnesses, wherein patients die within four to five days could be due to hantavirus or a co-infection of leptospirosis and hanta. Symptoms are similar and hard to distinguish without targeted serology tests