Hantavirus vaccines: where the research stands in 2026

Vaccine availability for hantavirus is a tale of two regions. In Korea and China, inactivated cell-culture-derived HFRS vaccines (Hantavax, others) have been in use since the 1990s with reasonable safety and moderate efficacy against Hantaan and Seoul viruses. They are not part of routine schedules elsewhere. For hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), no vaccine is licensed anywhere in the world as of 2026. The disease's geographic dispersion across the Americas, the small number of annual cases (typically a few hundred), and historic underinvestment have left HPS as a neglected target. Active research lines: 1. DNA vaccines: candidates encoding the Andes virus or Sin Nombre virus glycoproteins (Gn and Gc) have shown immunogenicity in phase 1/2 trials in the USA. Heterologous prime-boost regimens combining DNA with inactivated vaccines or recombinant proteins are being explored. 2. mRNA platforms: post-COVID, several groups have launched mRNA vaccine candidates for hantavirus. Lipid-nanoparticle-formulated mRNAs encoding glycoprotein antigens have entered preclinical and early clinical development. 3. Monoclonal antibodies: while not a vaccine, neutralizing antibodies against Andes virus glycoproteins have shown protection in animal models and are being studied as post-exposure prophylaxis for healthcare workers in clusters. 4. Recombinant subunit vaccines: protein-based formulations using viral-vectored or yeast-expressed glycoproteins remain a steady research avenue. The 2026 cruise ship cluster has renewed interest and funding requests for HPS vaccine development. Public health agencies, including PAHO and the NIH, have prioritized hantavirus among the pathogens of pandemic potential under monitoring. For now, the operational answer for HPS regions remains: rodent control, exposure avoidance, and early clinical recognition.