HANTAVIRUS PULMONARY SYNDROME IN ARGENTINA - POSSIBILITY OF PERSON-TO-PERSON TRANSMISSION

In March 1995 the first case of a familiar outbreak of Hantavirus pulm onary syndrome (HPS) was notified in El Bolson, in the South of Argent ina. Until December 15, 1996, a total of 77 cases of HPS had been noti fied with 48% mortality, distributed in three geographical areas of th e country, South, North and Center. During 1996, of the 19 cases from El Bolson, three were local physicians, one of whom -during the prodro me of her illness- travelled to Buenos Aires to be attended. In the ho spital, two of the physicians who assisted her, developed HPS 27 and 2 8 days after the first contact. These data suggest for the first time the possibility of interhuman transmission of the Hantavirus responsib le for the pulmonary syndrome.