UK launches a study of Andes hantavirus using a pre approved outbreak protocol
Published: 21 May 2026
Following the outbreak of Andes hantavirus disease on the cruise ship MV Hondius, UK universities and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have launched a new clinical study to characterise infection and disease associated with Andes hantavirus.
Following the outbreak of Andes hantavirus disease on the cruise ship MV Hondius, UK universities and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have launched a new clinical study to characterise infection and disease associated with Andes hantavirus.
The study uses the globally recognised Clinical Characterisation Protocol (CCP) of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC). The ISARIC CCP is a pre-approved, adaptable research framework designed to enable rapid, standardised data and sample collection during emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
The study is a partnership between the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford, the University of Liverpool, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, and the UKHSA.
ISARIC have been responding to infectious disease outbreaks for more than 15 years, and the CCP has been activated in the past for Ebola, Lassa fever, COVID-19, severe hepatitis in children, and mpox. The CCP enables better understanding of these infections: when do people become infectious and for how long; who gets sick; how does disease progress; and what are the risk factors for severe disease?
Building on this preparedness, the new study has been activated rapidly in response to the current situation. Individuals whose repatriation to the UK was coordinated by UKHSA after potential exposure to Andes hantavirus have consented to provide important clinical data and samples, such as blood.
The samples will be characterised at the high-containment research facilities at the UKHSA Rare and Imported Pathogens Laboratory, and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR). Research teams will characterise viral genomes to track evolution and transmission in the event of positive cases in the UK, define the extent of infection through serological profiling, and investigate cross-reactive immune responses across hantavirus species.
“Our ability to respond quickly is the result of years of preparation,” said Professor Sir Peter Horby, ISARIC Executive Director and Director of the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford. “By using a pre‑approved protocol, we can begin vital research immediately– when it matters most.”
Professor Lance Turtle, Chair of Immunity and Infectious Diseases, University of Liverpool, Deputy Director, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, and ISARIC CCP-UK Joint Chief Investigator said: "We are fortunate in the UK to be well prepared for incidents such as this, in particular for the clinical research response. We have had an amazing uptake by Research participants, who have agreed to help further our knowledge in this area, knowing that though this will not benefit them, it will benefit those who come after them. We are also lucky to have had amazing support from all the frontline NHS teams who have been working hard to keep the MV Hondius passengers and other exposed people safe and well looked after.”
Kenneth Baillie, Professor of Experimental Medicine at the University of Edinburgh said: “The UK’s readiness to study patients with any new disease remains the envy of the world. Once again we have universities across the country working seamlessly with each other, the NHS and public health agencies to respond to a potentially dangerous outbreak.”
Professor Emma Thomson, Director of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said: “While hantavirus outbreaks remain uncommon, they require rapid, coordinated scientific investigation because of their potential severity and the limited availability of licensed therapeutics or vaccines.
“The CVR contributes standing national capacity for emergency virus research and outbreak response, including high-containment laboratory infrastructure, rapid sequencing capability and specialist expertise in emerging viral infections. As part of the ISARIC response, the CVR will also lead laboratory research coordination and distribution of samples to participating research laboratories on behalf of the consortium, helping to accelerate the UK and international research effort.”
Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at UKHSA, said: “This vital study, embedded in the operational response, will help us better understand this virus and the disease that it causes. It will ensure we learn as much as we can from this unusual outbreak and use these learnings to strengthen global preparedness against future cases.”
Andes hantavirus is a zoonotic infection endemic to parts of South America and is associated with hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), a severe and potentially fatal illness. Unlike many other hantaviruses, Andes virus has been associated with person‑to‑person transmission, highlighting the importance of rapid clinical investigation.
The study aims to:
- Characterise the clinical features and disease progression
- Identify risk factors for severe outcomes
- Understand transmission dynamics, including evidence for human‑to‑human spread
- Support development of clinical management strategies and public health responses
The ISARIC team are working closely with colleagues in other countries and with the World Health Organization to coordinate and harmonise global activities. By using standardised tools and protocols, data generated from this study will be rapidly combined with other datasets to accelerate understanding of the disease and inform patient care.
Enquiries: ali.howard@gla.systa-s.com or elizabeth.mcmeekin@gla.systa-s.com
First published: 21 May 2026