Study Finds Hantavirus Can Persist in Semen Years After Recovery

A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Viruses reveals that the Andes strain of hantavirus can persist in human semen for years, posing a potential sexual transmission risk even after patients appear fully recovered. Researchers at Switzerland’s Spiez Laboratory detected viral material in the semen of a 55-year-old Swiss man 71 months after his initial infection in South America, despite the virus being undetectable in his blood, urine, or respiratory tract. This finding suggests the male reproductive tract acts as an immune-protected reservoir, similar to patterns observed with Ebola and Zika viruses. Although direct human-to-human sexual transmission of hantavirus has not yet been documented, health experts recommend adopting cautious post-recovery protocols for male survivors. These may include extended safe-sex guidance, such as condom use or abstinence, mirroring World Health Organization guidelines for Ebola survivors. The discovery has prompted renewed public health monitoring, particularly amid recent hantavirus concerns linked to the MV Hondius cruise and cases in Britain. While based on a single patient, the evidence highlights the need for updated medical advice to prevent potential long-term transmission risks to spouses and partners.