Hantavirus Never Investigated in Icelandic Rodents, Authorities Confirm

Icelandic authorities have confirmed that no rodent population on the island has ever been tested for hantavirus, despite the existence of over 20 variants of the virus globally. This revelation, stemming from a query by mbl.is to MAST (Icelandic Food and Veterinary Service), highlights a gap in the nation's disease surveillance.

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Það er því hægt að segja að það hafi aldrei verið staðfestur fundur af hantaveirum hér á landi, en þá af þeim ástæðum að það hefur enn ekki verið rannsakað.

Dr. Vilhjálmur Sveinsson, a veterinarian and virus specialist at Keldur, stated that while no hantavirus has been confirmed in Iceland, the lack of testing means its presence remains unverified. This situation is particularly noteworthy given recent reports of three deaths from hantavirus on a cruise ship, though the risk to the general public was deemed low.

The primary mode of transmission for hantaviruses is through the excrement, urine, or saliva of rodents like mice and rats. While most variants are primarily animal-to-human, some possess limited human-to-human transmission capabilities. The absence of testing in Iceland leaves the country potentially vulnerable to an undetected presence of the virus within its rodent population.

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Það er því hægt að segja að það hafi aldrei verið staðfestur fundur af hantaveirum hér á landi, en þá af þeim ástæðum að það hefur enn ekki verið rannsakað.

This lack of investigation into hantavirus in Icelandic rodents is a curious oversight. While international news focuses on outbreaks and human cases, the foundational surveillance of potential animal reservoirs appears to have been neglected. For Iceland, an island nation with a unique ecosystem, understanding any potential presence of such zoonotic diseases is crucial for safeguarding both animal and public health.

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Einhver þessara afbrigða hafa takmarkaða getu til að smitast á milli manna en aðallega berast smit frá saur, þvagi eða munnvatni nagdýra, þ.e. músa og rotta.