Investigating a high-consequence virus
In North and South America, human exposure has caused severe pulminary disease carrying a fatality rate as high as 60 percent. In Europe and Asia, different strains target the kidneys, with lower mortality rates.
Inhaling microscopic airborne particles from dried rodent droppings, urine, or saliva causes most human exposure. While person-to-person spread is extremely rare globally, it has been seen with specific strains in South America.
“Generally, we understand that the rodent infects the human, and most research is conducted at this interface,” Escobar said. “But we believe it is more complicated. We are in the infancy of understanding how pathogens behave in the wild.”
By examining how entire animal communities, weather patterns, and viral genetics interact, researchers will analyze global genetic databases alongside samples from across North America to trace how the virus adapts.
“Many steps occur before a person is infected,” Escobar said. “It could be that the virus is changing and becoming more aggressive in transmission. That does not mean it becomes more deadly; on the contrary, it may cause milder symptoms, giving infected animals or people more opportunities to spread it.”
The team is focusing on four major areas:
- Genetic tracking: Mapping viral evolution through genetic sequencing.
- Wildlife networks: Examining transmission across co-occurring animal species.
- Environment and climate: Measuring how differences in temperature, rainfall, and air humidity affect transission.
- Severity mapping: Comparing genetic samples from fatal and mild human cases worldwide to pinpoint specific genetic flags linked to severe illness.