Florian Krammer: Antibody responses to hantavirus infection

Antibody responses to hantavirus infection

Hantaviruses are RNA viruses that can be found in different animal host species globally. Many are associated with rodents and can cause zoonotic infections that lead to either hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). Recently, Andes virus, a HCPS-causing hantavirus prevalent in South America, has caused an outbreak on a cruise ship which has drawn the attention of the public. We have studied the immune response to an HFRS-associated hantavirus, Puumalavirus, in a clinical cohort in Austria. Individuals infected with Puumalavirus showed prolonged antibody affinity maturation, the late rise of cross-neutralizing antibodies and late IgG class switches – all indicative of possible virus persistence. Furthermore, we isolated a panel of monoclonal antibodies from a Puumalavirus-infected patient that broadly neutralize hantaviruses and represent potential future treatments for hantavirus infections.

Krammer Laboratory