Is long-hantavirus real? Here’s what life after the infection looks like

By Alexandra Leistner Published on 12/05/2026 - 6:50 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

Surviving the illness does not mean people fully recover. Many patients continue to suffer long-term physical and mental health problems.

Two main factors contribute to fear around hantavirus, including recent cases among cruise ship passengers: a long incubation period of up to eight weeks and the absence of any licensed antiviral treatment or vaccine.

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When infection with the Andes virus develops into hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), a severe respiratory disease with a mortality rate of up to 50%, early intensive care is critical for survival.

The Andes virus is not new. Research has long described where it circulates, how it spreads, and how it causes disease. This is also why the World Health Organization (WHO) stresses there is no evidence that it could become another COVID-19 pandemic.

Is there something like long-Hantavirus?

But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how scientists think about infectious diseases, not only in terms of acute infection, but also in terms of what happens after it.

In this context, researchers have begun to ask whether there may be longer-term effects of Andes virus infection, similar to what has been observed with Long COVID after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

At Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile researchers followed 21 survivors between 3 and 6 months after being released from the hospital.

Patients were categorised by disease severity and whether they required Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), an intensive life-support treatment used when the heart and lungs fail to assess long-term recovery, symptoms, and quality of life.

No survivor had fully recovered after 3 to 6 months

The results were striking. Every single survivor still had symptoms months after leaving the hospital. In total, all 21 patients reported at least one ongoing symptom 3 to 6 months after infection with Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS). More than 60% said they had not fully recovered, and the overall symptom burden was high, with patients reporting around 11-12 symptoms each on average. Only the most severe cases, including the ECMO patients, had received rehabilitation care, such as physical therapy or recovery support. Among less severe survivors, only around 30% had this type of follow-up after being released from the hospital.

Fatigue, motor problems, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety…

While only the severe cases group reported movement or motor problems and heart palpitations, both severe and less severe survivors reported a mix of physical symptoms and psychological or neurological problems. Both groups said their quality of life had reduced after the illness. The most common problems were not only physical but also neurological and psychological. Fatigue, motor problems, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, memory issues, nightmares, and sensory disturbances were all frequent. Patients who had not needed ECMO still had long-term symptoms, suggesting the illness itself drives prolonged recovery, not only intensive care treatment.

Many survivors began self-medicating to cope with lingering symptoms, especially painkillers, sleep aids, and vitamins.

This was particularly frequent among non-ECMO survivors and even reached 100% among those classified as having mild Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome.

A long return to regular activities

Many survivors struggled to return to normal life. Nearly 1 in 5 still had not returned to work or school six months later. Among those who did return, recovery typically took about 3.5 months. Many reported reduced performance when they did return.

Recovery time was similar regardless of how severe the illness had been, or whether patients required Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

45.5% of the patients in the ECMO group felt stigmatised at school or work, linked to fear of “rodent-borne contagion”.

What needs to change

The generalisation of the study is limited due to its relatively small sample size.

Nevertheless, the findings suggest that recovery from hantavirus is not just physical. Survivors also reported social isolation, stigma at work or school, and widespread reliance on self-medication to manage persistent symptoms.

The authors argue that keeping patients alive in the acute phase is not enough. What is also needed is better long-term, multidisciplinary care after discharge, along with stronger social support and understanding to help survivors fully rebuild their lives.

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