An expert has shared the travel situations you may want to avoid if you’re trying to reduce the chance of becoming ‘patient zero’, in light of the recent hantavirus outbreak.
In early May, the virus — most commonly associated with rodents — was reported on the MV Hondius cruise ship.
As of May 13, there are believed to be 11 cases, with nine confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The vessel departed Argentina in April, but later diverted to Tenerife, where passengers were taken off the ship and returned to their home countries.
Investigators think the chain of infection may have begun with “patient zero”, identified as Dutch national Leo Schilperoord. Reports say the birdwatcher and his wife, Mirjam Schilperoord, visited a landfill before boarding while searching for a white-throated caracara.
Authorities suspect the couple may have breathed in contaminated particles from pygmy rice rat droppings — a species known to carry hantavirus.
In comments to the New York Post, physician-scientist Dr. Steven Quay outlined 10 travel-related risks that can set the stage for outbreaks.
Quay noted that bats are well-known carriers of a wide range of viruses and fungi. The Bat Conservation Trust has said that “several viruses, including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2” have been connected to different bat species.
For that reason, travelers are advised to avoid places where bats roost — including caves, tunnels, and mines — to limit unnecessary exposure.
He also cautioned against trying certain regional “specialties” such as bushmeat. He said: “Monkey, ape, bat, rodent, or other wild-animal meat is not cultural courage; it is zoonotic roulette.”
The CDC explain: “Bushmeat can be infected with germs that can cause sickness in people, including orthoebolaviruses.
“… Bringing bushmeat into the U.S. is illegal. Bushmeat is meat from wild animals like rodents, monkeys or apes, and bats. Bushmeat can carry diseases that can spread to people. If you try to bring bushmeat to the U.S., it will be taken away and destroyed, and you may have to pay a fine.”
Given what’s suspected in the MV Hondius cases, spending time at landfill sites or waste areas where rodents are active is a major concern.
“That is where birds, rats, mice, feral animals, and contaminated dust overlap,” said Quay.
“The risk is not birdwatching; it is breathing or touching aerosolized animal waste in a place where pathogens are concentrated.”
He added that even routine cleaning can become risky in places where rodent droppings may be present. Sweeping or vacuuming can kick contaminated material into the air. Quay explained: “That is the classic hantavirus mistake: taking an invisible exposure and turning it into breathable dust.”
Another warning involves swimming in freshwater lagoons or still pools, which can expose people to leptospirosis.
Quay said leptospira bacteria can live in slow-moving water and may cause leptospirosis, including severe outcomes such as Weil’s syndrome — which can involve kidney damage, intense jaundice, internal bleeding, and breathing difficulties.
He also urged caution with drinking water in destinations where tap water isn’t considered safe — including at airports. Quay explained: “Travelers often obsess over restaurant water but then refill at the airport without thinking.”
Unsafe water can contain bacteria, viruses, or parasites, so avoiding tap water, fountains, and drinks made with ice may reduce the risk of gastrointestinal and other infections.
Quay additionally flagged the popular tourist trend of handling wildlife for photos. He warned that bites or scratches can carry serious consequences, describing them as ‘potential rabies, herpes B virus, bacterial infection and outbreak investigations waiting to happen’.
Seafood and shellfish were another concern, particularly when eaten raw, because they can accumulate pathogens from the water they filter. Quay said this can expose travelers to bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Oysters, for instance, can carry bacteria such as Vibrio Vulnificus, which can enter their tissues through the water they filter. Vibrio bacteria naturally occur in the coastal environments where oysters live.
He also emphasized that there’s no reliable way to identify a contaminated oyster by appearance or smell alone.
The CDC’s website states: “An oyster that contains harmful bacteria doesn’t look, smell, or even taste different from any other oyster.”
Finally, Quay advised avoiding live animal markets, which can create ideal conditions for pathogens to emerge due to the close mixing of animals, humans, and bodily fluids.
“Live-animal markets bring stressed animals, bodily fluids, cages, wastewater and humans together in close quarters,” Quay said. “That is exactly the ecology in which zoonotic spillovers are more likely.”
He added that anyone who thinks they may have taken part in a higher-risk activity should be especially cautious about monitoring symptoms and seeking care quickly, since delays can worsen outcomes and increase the likelihood of wider spread.