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"The Argentine infectious disease specialist Hugo Pizzi warned this Thursday about the close relationship between climate change and the spread of the 'Andes' strain of hantavirus detected in passengers of a cruise ship in Argentina, which has so far claimed three lives. In an interview at the National University of Cordoba, the academic emphasized that the dynamics of confinement aboard the cruise ship would have facilitated the spread of the virus. He explained that contamination is amplified in contexts of close contact, climatic variations that modify the ecosystems of rodents, which favors the movement of transmitting species to populated areas, increasing the risk of human contagion, especially in closed spaces. "Climate change logically influences and the presence and changes of place and ecosystem of the rodent, which is the transmitter," said the specialist. Hantavirus is a viral disease transmitted mainly by contact with infected rodents. Contagion occurs through inhalation when people breathe in virus particles present in the contaminated environment, whether terrestrial or aerial, leading to severe respiratory complications and even death. "The Andes variant of hantavirus is contagious (...) it has been proven that it can be transmitted from person to person (...) the first link always begins with the long-tailed mouse that contaminates a human being with its feces, saliva, and urine," Pizzi explained. Studies indicate that climatic events like El Niño have historically been linked to hantavirus outbreaks in different parts of the American continent, due to increased humidity and excess vegetation, which increases rodent populations. On the other hand, Pizzi ruled out the possibility of a direct relationship between the infected cruise passengers and Argentina. "Are there risks of similar cases appearing in Argentina related to the ship? No, there are no such risks because there is no relationship between the voyage and the territory," the expert stated. The specialist emphasized the need to track the movements of the infected, study the presence of animals in the affected areas, and conduct broad epidemiological evaluations, essential to understand the transmission chain and prevent new outbreaks in vulnerable regions. Finally, the infectious disease specialist assured that the Argentine health system has the necessary training and infrastructure to respond to this type of emergency, despite the growing challenges posed by climate change in public health."
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