Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team May 12, 2026 30 minutes ago
Medical News: Scientists in Chile had identified a new human-derived strain of the deadly Andes virus, marking the first such discovery in more than 20 years and raising new questions about how the virus evolves, spreads, and causes severe disease. The discovery made in 2024 was never really made public with the exception of its discovery published as a study in an obscure medical journal.
Scientists in Chile have identified a newly evolving Andes virus strain linked to severe hantavirus infections and
possible person-to-person transmission
The research was conducted by scientists from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Red Salud UC-Christus, Hospital Base Valdivia, the Seremi de Salud Región de los Ríos under Chile’s Ministry of Health, and collaborating laboratories in Chile.
Rare Discovery During Family Outbreak
The discovery happened during the investigation of a fatal hantavirus case in southern Chile in 2024. A woman infected with the Andes virus died, and shortly afterward her husband became infected. Health authorities then closely monitored two family members who had been in close contact with them.
One of the relatives, a young boy, tested positive for the virus before serious symptoms appeared. His mother later also tested positive. Both survived, although one developed severe illness requiring specialized hospital care.
Researchers focused on blood samples collected very early in the infection process. This timing proved critical because the Andes virus is extremely difficult to isolate once the body starts producing antibodies to fight it.
The newly isolated strain was named CHI-Hu13724.
Why This Virus Matters
The Andes virus is one of the most feared hantaviruses in South America because it can trigger hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a rapidly progressing disease that attacks the lungs and heart. Fatality rates can reach 30 to 35 percent.
Unlike many other hantaviruses, the Andes virus is also known to spread from person to person, making it particularly dangerous during family or household outbreaks.
The virus is usually carried by wild rodents, especially the long-tailed pygmy rice rat commonly found in Chile. Humans typically become infected after breathing in particles contaminated by rodent urine or droppings.
Scientists Finally Grew the Virus in the Lab
One of the biggest achievements of the study was the successful cultivation of the virus in laboratory cells.
Researchers used a portion of blood called the “buffy coat,” which contains white blood cells. Earlier studies had hinted that this blood fraction may contain the highest amount of detectable virus, and this study confirmed it.
The virus was grown in Vero E6 cells under high-security biosafety conditions for six weeks. Scientists carefully monitored viral growth using advanced molecular tests and fluorescent imaging techniques.
Remarkably, the pati
ent’s first blood sample showed no detectable antibodies against the virus, giving researchers a rare opportunity to isolate infectious viral particles before the immune system neutralized them.
This
Medical News report highlights how difficult such isolation work is, especially because infectious Andes virus particles exist in the bloodstream only for a short period before antibodies appear.
New Genetic Mutations Detected
Whole genome sequencing revealed that the new strain carries several important genetic differences compared to the older Chilean reference strain known as CHI-7913, which was isolated back in 2002.
Researchers identified 12 amino acid changes across the virus genome. Some of these mutations may influence how the virus reproduces, assembles itself, or escapes immune defenses.
Interestingly, two mutations disappeared after the virus was repeatedly grown in monkey cells, suggesting that the virus quickly adapts to laboratory conditions.
Scientists also found that the newly discovered strain forms its own distinct genetic branch, separate from previously known Chilean and Argentine strains.
The findings suggest that multiple evolving Andes virus lineages may currently be circulating in South America.
Important Public Health Implications
The discovery could have major implications for future diagnostics, vaccine development, antiviral testing, and understanding why some infections become deadly while others remain mild.
Researchers say the new isolate provides a more accurate picture of the virus currently infecting humans because older reference strains have spent many years adapting to laboratory culture conditions.
The study also reinforces the importance of monitoring household contacts during hantavirus outbreaks, especially in regions where person-to-person transmission can occur.
Scientists warned that continued genomic surveillance is urgently needed to track how the virus changes over time and whether new mutations could affect transmissibility or disease severity.
Conclusion
The identification of the CHI-Hu13724 strain represents one of the most important Andes virus discoveries in Chile in decades. By successfully isolating and sequencing the virus directly from an early-stage human infection, researchers now have a powerful new tool to study how this deadly pathogen behaves in the real world. The findings also underline the growing need for stronger outbreak surveillance, rapid testing, and deeper genomic monitoring across South America to better prepare for future hantavirus threats.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Current Research in Microbial Sciences.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666517425001336
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/novel-pathogenic-hantavirus-identified-in-argentina-in-2025
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/hantavirus-news
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