Hantavirus and Pregnancy: What Obstetricians Need to Know

A recent cluster of cases of severe respiratory illness due to Andes hantavirus (ANDV) infection highlights the need for obstetricians to understand hantavirus infection, including its implications during pregnancy. We have summarized English-language reports indexed in PubMed that describe hantavirus infection in pregnancy. Although we did not identify any published cases of ANDV infection in pregnancy, reports of ANDV infection among nonpregnant individuals as well as other types of hantavirus infection in pregnancy can help inform diagnosis, management, and prevention in pregnancy. Patients with hantavirus infection can deteriorate rapidly after the onset of respiratory symptoms and often require supportive care in an intensive care unit. Therefore, it is critical that clinicians have a high index of suspicion for hantavirus infection based largely on travel and exposure history. The primary mode of prevention for hantavirus infection is to avoid contact with rodents and their excreta. Because there are no effective therapies for hantavirus infection, treatment is supportive.