The Epuyén Outbreak of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Argentina, 2018–2019

Abstract

In the context of an emerging zoonotic disease, sources of knowledge are multidisciplinary. Considering this requires not only a medical approach but also the study of the Andean hantavirus clade, its animal host, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, and the environmental conditions that favour its spread before infecting humans. Also, thanks to a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic context, the containment of this outbreak was achieved through selective respiratory isolation and the cooperation of the local actors involved. Following a transdisciplinary approach, an actor-oriented analysis and their interaction provide a better understanding of the process that led to this successful containment. It also gives important clues for the control of zoonotic outbreaks, with human-to-human transmission.