9% Seroprevalence Found in Vietnam Wildlife Farmers Despite No Reported Outbreaks
Observational data from 210 Vietnamese wildlife farmers indicate substantial prior hantavirus exposure linked to poor hygiene and limited protective equipment. The findings connect to broader Southeast Asian wildlife trade risks but leave the causative virus and primary reservoir unresolved. Strengthened One Health surveillance with genetic sequencing is required to identify variants before person-to-person transmission occurs.
Researchers collected samples from August 2023 to March 2024 from farmers handling bats, bamboo rats, civets, and wild boars. ELISA testing revealed prior exposure in 19 individuals, while 4 showed signs of recent infection. No viral RNA was recovered, leaving the specific hantavirus strain unidentified. Farm managers who avoided direct hunting or slaughter still faced elevated risk, pointing to aerosolized rodent excreta in poorly ventilated enclosures as a likely route.
Vietnam Ministry of Health: By end of 2027, expanded RT-PCR and sequencing programs on wildlife farms will identify at least one novel hantavirus variant with >50% nucleotide divergence from known strains.
Sources (2)
- [1]Hantavirus exposure among wildlife farmers in Vietnam: A warning for Southeast Asia(https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-hantavirus-exposure-wildlife-farmers-vietnam.html)
- [2]Person-to-person transmission of Andes hantavirus on cruise ship(https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2301234)