Hantavirus Survivor Opens Up: Infected at Age 5, It Was Like a Nightmare—Tormented and Traumatized

A hantavirus survivor shares her harrowing experience after contracting the virus at just 5 years old, describing severe illness with violent vomiting and uncontrollable bleeding that left lasting psychological scars. A 38-year-old American special education teacher from the Los Angeles area recounted her battle with the rare hemorrhagic strain of hantavirus, which doctors struggled to diagnose while she suffered excruciating pain so intense she couldn't even tolerate her hair touching her skin. An outbreak occurred aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius. Shayna Montriel, a special education teacher from suburban Los Angeles, California, explained that she contracted hantavirus at only 5 years old in 1993. Initially presenting with flu-like symptoms, her condition rapidly deteriorated with severe vomiting, weakness, and uncontrollable bleeding mixed with her stool. Doctors had to test for multiple diseases, including meningitis and leukemia, before finally diagnosing the rare hemorrhagic strain of hantavirus. She revealed that the pain was so severe she couldn't tolerate even her hair touching her skin due to extreme skin sensitivity, and she developed hemorrhagic rash beneath the skin. After approximately two weeks of treatment, doctors had to monitor her for an additional two years due to concerns about long-term damage to her kidneys and vision. Although she ultimately experienced no serious complications, she developed health anxiety and emetophobia—a fear of vomiting—stemming from the traumatic event. Montriel believes she contracted the virus from rodent feces in her backyard garden in a rural area, which is the primary transmission route for hantavirus. She acknowledged that seeing news reports of other hantavirus cases for the first time in over 30 years made her feel she wasn't alone in facing this ordeal, though she expressed concern upon learning that some strains can transmit from person to person, albeit rarely. She concluded by saying the experience was terrifying and she wouldn't wish it on anyone, sending encouragement to patients and families battling the disease and hoping everyone can overcome it as she did.