INTERNACIONAL
Cuáles son las 8 especies de roedores silvestres que pueden transmitir el hantavirus en Argentina
Los hantavirus son un grupo de virus que viven en roedores silvestres. Son transmitidos a los humanos sin que el animal portador se enferme.
Si bien los roedores pueden transmitir esos virus con una mordedura, la vía más común es través de sus heces, orina y saliva. Esas secreciones liberan partículas virales en el aire, y así cualquier persona que las inhale queda expuesta al contagio.
La dimensión global de esa amenaza quedó en evidencia esta semana: la OMS confirmó un brote a bordo del crucero MV Hondius, que partió de Ushuaia en abril, con tres muertos y al menos siete casos.
La hipótesis principal es que el caso índice contrajo el hantavirus Andes antes de embarcar, durante un viaje por el Cono Sur.
Esa cepa es una de las nueve que circulan en territorio argentino asociadas a enfermedad humana.
En diálogo con Infobae, la bióloga Karina Hodara, quien hizo su tesis de maestría en Biometría sobre un modelo de transmisión de hantavirus en la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), señaló que «ya se han identificado ocho especies de roedores silvestres con capacidad de portar y transmitir hantavirus a personas en el país».
Los roedores silvestres no buscan al ser humano ni lo atacan. Son parte de los ecosistemas naturales y el contacto con ellos ocurre cuando las personas ingresan a su hábitat o cuando la expansión urbana reduce los espacios silvestres disponibles.
“Tienen una función clave en las cadenas tróficas. Son predadores de insectos, artrópodos y semillas. También son predados por predadores terrestres y aéreos de cada zona”, acotó la experta.
Para entender por qué los virus llevan ese nombre y cómo llegaron a Argentina, hay que “viajar” hasta un río coreano en plena guerra.
El nombre de la enfermedad viene del río Hantaan, en Corea del Sur, a orillas del cual soldados de las Naciones Unidas contrajeron una enfermedad hemorrágica grave durante la Guerra de Corea en la década de 1950. Más de 3.200 militares enfermaron con una tasa de mortalidad del 7%.
El virus tardó décadas en identificarse. Recién en 1977, el doctor Ho Wang Lee aisló el agente causal en un roedor capturado cerca del río que le daría nombre al patógeno.
“Durante décadas, los hantavirus se conocieron solo como enfermedades de Europa y Asia. Estaban asociados con síndrome renal por hantavirus en humanos“, aclaró Hodara, quien actualmente es profesora asociada del Departamento Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información de FAUBA.
Todo cambió en 1993, cuando un brote en la región de Four Corners, en el suroeste de Estados Unidos, mató al 90% de los primeros infectados detectados, todos por falla respiratoria aguda.
Ese brote reveló una variante americana del virus, bautizada Sin Nombre, y dio origen a un nuevo síndrome clínico: el Síndrome Cardiopulmonar por Hantavirus, que es la forma en que estos virus se presentan en el continente americano. Puede alcanzar tasas de mortalidad de hasta el 50% según la región y la cepa viral, según informó la OMS.
Ese nuevo síndrome no tardó en aparecer en el Cono Sur. En la Argentina, los primeros casos se detectaron en 1995.
En diciembre pasado, la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS) informó que “Argentina continúa siendo el país que reporta el mayor número de casos de hantavirus” en la Región de las Américas.
Hasta principios de 2020, el Ministerio de Salud de la Nación había confirmado 1.982 casos distribuidos en cuatro regiones endémicas, con una mortalidad promedio histórica del 15,4% que trepó al 32% en 2025.
La mayoría de esos casos tuvo origen en el contacto con alguna de las especies de roedores silvestres que portan el virus, que se detallaron en un estudio publicado por investigadores del Conicet y la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba en la revista PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases el año pasado.
El virus Andes, sin embargo, es el único hantavirus del mundo con transmisión persona a persona confirmada, lo que significa que puede causar infecciones sin intervención de ningún roedor.
- La especie con mayor presencia en casos humanos es Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, conocida como el colilargo. Puede tener dos cepas distintas según la región: el virus Andes en la zona andino-patagónica y el virus Orán en el noroeste argentino.
- En esa misma región del noroeste, Oligoryzomys chacoensis es el reservorio del virus Bermejo, otra cepa del mismo género adaptada a ambientes más áridos.
- Calomys callosus, un roedor de campo, porta el virus Laguna Negra en esa misma región. Esa cepa registra la mortalidad más baja del país: alrededor del 1%, según datos del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación.
- Oligoryzomys flavescens —el colilargo pampeano— puede portar dos cepas diferentes: el virus Lechiguanas y el virus Central Plata, ambas presentes en la región central. Según Hodara, la mortalidad combinada de estas cepas en esa región alcanza el 30,8%.
- Oligoryzomys nigripes es el reservorio del virus Juquitiba, que circula en el noreste argentino —Misiones y Corrientes—. Hodara registró para esa cepa una mortalidad del 17,1% en los casos diagnosticados en esa región.
- Oligoryzomys microtis porta el virus Río Mamoré, originario de Bolivia, que también registra casos en territorio argentino.
- Akodon azarae porta el virus Pergamino en la región central del país.
- Necromys benefactus es el reservorio del virus Maciel en esa misma región.
Los hantavirus Pergamino y Maciel circulan en roedores pero hasta la fecha ningún caso humano de hantavirus fue atribuido a alguna de esas dos variantes.
Ante la ausencia de vacuna y tratamiento específico, la prevención es el único recurso disponible para reducir el riesgo de transmisión.
La cartera de Salud nacional recomendó mantener las viviendas limpias, sellar grietas de más de 0,5 centímetros, almacenar la leña a más de 40 metros del hogar y ventilar durante 30 minutos cualquier espacio cerrado antes de ingresar.
El organismo aclaró que “las partículas virales eliminadas por las excreciones de roedores infectados sufren rápida inactivación con la luz solar”, lo que refuerza la importancia de airear los espacios antes de entrar.
Business,General Health,Medicines,Corporate Events,Europe,Health / Medicine
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Trump surprises famously low-profile power player with tribute as she steps out for rare public appearance
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FIRST ON FOX: Susie Wiles, President Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff, received the Independent Women’s Forum’s valor award on Thursday night as the president honored his longtime aide with a surprise video tribute.
«The woman of valor, that is Susie, come to think of it. Not only is Susie the first female chief of staff in American history, she’s also one of the best White House chiefs of staff ever in history, I say the best, actually. I’m tremendously grateful for her friendship, loyalty, and support every single day. She’s a real professional,» said Trump in the video message, which was shared with Fox News Digital, to Wiles on Thursday evening during the ceremony.
The award honors the legacy of Independent Women Forum founder Barbara K. Olson, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attack on the Pentagon, and recognizes women who demonstrate the commitment and courage to advance economic liberty, personal responsibility and political freedom. Trump spotlighted Wiles making history as the first female White House chief of staff, following a long career in Republican politics and key roles in Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns.
TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORY
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles named 2025 Independent Women’s Forum Woman of Valor Award honoree for advancing liberty and opportunity. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
«I am deeply honored to receive the Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Award. Her strength, courage, and deep love of our country are inspiring to so many. I have the privilege of serving President Trump, our administration and my dedicated colleagues who fight every day to protect liberty, expand opportunity, and strengthen the lives of American families,» Wiles told Fox News Digital in a statement.
«This award is not just a personal honor but a reflection of that shared mission, and I am grateful, humbled, and more committed than ever to continuing that work,» Wiles added.
Trump continued in his surprise message during Thursday’s gala that she has been an inspiration while battling cancer.
«It’s been especially inspiring to see her courage and toughness in recent weeks as she’s been winning a battle with cancer, winning it decisively. It was an early diagnosis, so she’s going to be in great shape. Susie played a key role in every one of my campaigns for president, but especially in 2024 or when she helped lead us to perhaps the most consequential election victory in modern times,» said Trump.
IDAHO REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUE WITH CANCER, SHAVE THEIR HEADS IN SOLIDARITY
«This award is not just a personal honor but a reflection of that shared mission, and I am grateful, humbled, and more committed than ever to continuing that work,» Wiles said. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
«Everything we have done here in the White House has been with her help and her leadership. She’s respected by everybody. Every one of these people, they respect Susie. We have a problem. I say go to Susie, we owe her tremendous debt and what she’s done is just incredible for our country. Thank you to Susie and congratulations,» he added.
In March, Wiles announced she had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer upon early detection and received a strong prognosis. She said she now joins the many women who have breast cancer and still continue to raise their children, go to work, and serve their communities.
Wiles has been dubbed the «Ice Maiden» by Trump, which he noted in his 2024 victory speech, for her hard-nosed approach to handling politics. Wiles famously avoids the public spotlight, instead working as Trump’s behind-the-scenes enforcer from within the White House.
Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that Wiles is an inspiration and a «powerhouse of getting work done,» making her a force in making «America’s future days bright.»
TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM
Trump recorded a surprise message for the gala, calling her «one of the best White House Chiefs of Staff ever in history.» (Annabelle GORDON / AFP via Getty Images)
«Wiles was instrumental in securing President Trump’s victory and continues to keep the administration laser-focused on delivering results. Her impact is enormous—even if she rarely seeks the credit—and that’s exactly why it’s so meaningful to honor her,» said Lukas.
Wiles is the 19th honoree of the award joining the previous recipients including Miranda Devine, Kimberley Strassel, Janice Dean, Maria Bartiromo, Betsy DeVos, Nikki Haley, Kellyanne Conway, Carly Fiorina, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Condoleezza Rice.
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She had a show of support from Trump’s administration with several cabinet members in attendance. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and FBI Director Kash Patel were all in attendance.
Independent Women’s Forum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1992, presenting itself as an alternative to mainstream feminist groups.
white house, markwayne mullin, donald trump, politics
INTERNACIONAL
FIRST ON FOX: Top Republicans take abortion pill fight to Supreme Court, citing coercion and safety risks
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FIRST ON FOX: More than 100 Republican lawmakers are urging the Supreme Court to reinstate abortion pill restrictions, warning current policy allowing mifepristone to be mailed without in-person oversight has led to cases of women being coerced — and in some instances allegedly forced — to take the drug.
The amicus brief, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., backs Louisiana’s legal fight to restore an in-person dispensing requirement for the drug.
At the center of the filing are allegations that loosened federal rules have enabled coercion, with lawmakers arguing the Biden-era policy «increases the risk of coercion,» referring to changes to the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) that removed the in-person requirement.
The brief points to several alleged cases in which abortion pills were obtained online or administered without a woman’s consent, including plaintiff Rosalie Markezich, who says her boyfriend ordered mifepristone from a California doctor and coerced her into taking it.
ABORTION PILL MIFEPRISTONE SPARKS NEW PRO-LIFE DEBATE AS SOME DOCTORS STRESS SAFETY CONCERNS
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., speaks during a Senate hearing while pointing to a chart showing fetal development stages on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Courtesy U.S. Senate Photographic services)
«Had she visited a doctor in person, her boyfriend would never have been able to obtain the drugs he made [her] take,» the brief says.
Lawmakers also cite additional reported incidents, including a case in which a Louisiana mother allegedly obtained abortion pills online for her teenage daughter, leading to a medical emergency, as well as another case involving a man accused of administering the drugs to a pregnant woman without her knowledge.
Lawmakers argue such cases are more likely under a system that allows abortion pills to be prescribed online and shipped without face-to-face medical screening.
‘ABORTION PILL’ FOUND TO HAVE ‘SEVERE ADVERSE EFFECTS’ FOR 1 IN 10 WOMEN, STUDY FINDS
Activists for and against abortion demonstrate outside the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24, 2024, three years after the Dobbs decision. The demonstration coincides with a landmark Texas filing seeking to prevent interstate abortion pill mailing. (Allison Robbert/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
They say the policy not only weakens safeguards but puts women at risk while removing protections designed to prevent abuse.
Cassidy said those safeguards should be restored immediately.
«Chemical abortion drugs kill innocent children and put mothers’ lives at risk,» Cassidy said. «Safeguards protecting against coercion, such as the in-person dispensing requirement, must be reinstated immediately. The Fifth Circuit got this right, and I urge the Supreme Court to affirm that decision.»
ABORTION PILL FIGHT HEADS TO SUPREME COURT AS MANUFACTURER WARNS OF ‘CHAOS’ AFTER RULING
Anti-abortion activists hold signs outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2022, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP)
The filing comes after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Louisiana and reinstated the in-person dispensing requirement while litigation continues.
Lawmakers argue the FDA «overstepped its authority» by allowing abortion drugs to be distributed through the mail, saying the policy conflicts with the Comstock Act, which prohibits mailing items «designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.»
Smith also argued the drug poses serious risks, citing claims that more than one in 10 women experience complications such as infection or hemorrhaging.
They also contend the agency relied on insufficient safety data when it removed the in-person requirement, weakening adverse-event reporting standards and then using limited data to justify expanded access.
NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL SIGNS LAW PROTECTING ABORTION PILL PRESCRIBERS AFTER DOCTOR INDICTED IN LOUISIANA
Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill on May 23, 2024, classifying two abortion-inducing drugs as controlled and dangerous substances despite criticism from doctors about their other reproductive health uses. (Allen G. Breed/AP)
The brief further argues that eliminating in-person visits prevents doctors from screening for serious medical conditions, including ectopic pregnancies, and makes it more difficult to detect coercion or abuse.
The legal fight intensified over the weekend when mifepristone manufacturers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro filed emergency appeals to the Supreme Court, warning the lower court ruling is already causing «immediate confusion and upheaval» across the country.
Danco argued the decision is disrupting access and forcing providers, pharmacies and patients to navigate rapidly changing rules, while GenBioPro said the order effectively eliminates mail-order access and upends a system relied on for years.
The companies are asking the justices to block the ruling while litigation continues, setting up a high-stakes legal battle that could reshape how the abortion drug is distributed nationwide.
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The Supreme Court is now weighing emergency requests from the manufacturers, which are seeking to pause the 5th Circuit’s order while the case proceeds.
The outcome could reshape access to abortion pills nationwide, determining whether they remain widely available by mail or are once again restricted to in-person medical oversight.
«There are legitimate concerns about these drugs putting women and girls at significant risk,» said Leader Thune. «I urge the Supreme Court to reinstate the safety guardrails that were in place before the Biden administration while the Department of Health and Human Services reviews these drugs.»
supreme court, abortion, republicans, womens health, senate elections
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