Inside the Race to Develop a Test for the Rare Andes Hantavirus

"In just a few days, a lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha developed its own diagnostic test for the Andes virus in anticipation of receiving 16 American passengers from the ship. "I believe we might be the only lab in the nation that has this test available at the moment," Peter Iwen, director of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory tells WIRED, referring to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, which was important during the Covid-19 pandemic."

"Its ability to detect tiny quantities of the virus before patients have full-blown symptoms makes it crucial for identifying cases quickly, getting patients prompt medical treatment, and preventing the spread of disease. The university's medical center is home to a highly specialized biocontainment unit designed to care for patients with severe infectious diseases that lack vaccines or treatments."

"When Nebraska was notified that it would be receiving some of the passengers, Iwen contacted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see if it had tests on hand. He learned that the CDC has the ability to run a serological test, which looks for the presence of hantavirus antibodies. But people don't develop antibodies until they are actively sick and their body has had time to mount an immune response."

"Andrew Nixon, a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services, told WIRED that the CDC has a PCR test for the Andes virus but that it's a research test that cannot be used for patient management. Research tests are used in scientific experiments, while diagnosti"

Passengers returning from a cruise with a rare hantavirus outbreak face limited early-stage diagnostic capacity across the US. A lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha developed a diagnostic PCR test for the Andes virus within days in anticipation of receiving 16 American passengers. The PCR approach can detect tiny quantities of virus before full symptoms appear, supporting rapid identification, timely medical care, and reduced transmission. The medical center includes a biocontainment unit used for severe infectious diseases without vaccines or treatments, with prior experience from Ebola and early Covid cases. CDC testing options include a serological antibody test that typically appears only after active illness, and a PCR test that is research-only and not suitable for patient management.

Read at WIRED