Hantaviruses are just beginning; severe rodent-borne viruses to become more common: Study

The Hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has raised alarm about other rodent-borne severe viruses that could prove catastrophic for the world in near future.

A new study has established a direct link between climate change and shifting rodent population to the increased risk of arenaviruses at places where they have not been experienced before.

The warning comes after a Hantavirus outbreak at a cruise ship off the coast of Cape Verde, which has resulted in three deaths so far, including a Dutch couple and a German national.

Now, researchers have warned that as the climate becomes warmer and its effects worsen, such outbreaks could become more common, particularly across parts of South America.

These viruses are transmitted by rodents and are closely linked to changes in rodent habitats.

Some of the commonly known rodent-borne viruses include Guanarito virus in Venezuela and Colombia, Machupo virus in Bolivia and Paraguay, and Junin virus in Argentina.

These diseases have between 5 to 30 percent fatality rate. The study has revealed that changing climate conditions, population density, and habitat suitability would change infection risk posed by such viruses in the next 20 to 40 years.

The authors of the study warn that areas with little to no population of residents are expected to encounter such viruses more often with more warmer climatic conditions.