Hantaviruses (HTV), from the Bunyaviridae family, are emerging enveloped RNA viruses. HTV cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe and Asia, with a mortality rate of up to 20%, and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Americas, with a mortality rate of up to 40%. Two types of HTV cause HFRS in Europe: Puumala (PUUV) and Dobrava (DOBV), although other, less pathogenic hantaviruses have also been detected.
The reservoirs of HTV are small rodents, in which persistent infection develops without signs of disease. Knowledge about the immune response to HTV in humans and rodents remains insufficient. A strong inflammatory response during acute infection in humans is probably responsible for eliminating the virus, but also for the potentially fatal inflammatory reaction. On the other hand, the mechanisms responsible for HTV persistence and the absence of clinical symptoms in rodents are still unknown. The lack of an appropriate animal model further complicates research into HFRS. To date, there are no antiviral drugs, vaccines, or immunotherapeutics for the treatment of HFRS.
