Press Briefing: Pathologists Address Hantavirus Concerns
With hantavirus cases gaining national media attention, pathologists from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) provided expert insight into the virus, including how it is detected, assessed in clinical settings, and what clinicians and the public should understand about transmission and risk. Clinical laboratory experts discussed how hantavirus is identified in the lab, the challenges of early diagnosis, and what current data suggest about public health risk, including transmission in close-contact settings.
On Tuesday, May 12, 2026, CAP infectious disease experts hosted a virtual media briefing to share what pathologists and clinical laboratories are seeing, discussed the latest understanding of hantavirus transmission and detection, and outlined the key considerations for clinicians and the public.
Panelists:
- Qihui “Jim” Zhai, MD, FCAP – President, College of American Pathologists
- Mara Jana Broadhurst, MD, PhD, FCAP – Member, CAP Microbiology Committee; Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Bobbi S. Pritt, MD, MSc, FCAP – Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and Chair of the Division of Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic
- Benjamin Bradley, MD, PhD, FCAP – Vice Chair, CAP Microbiology Committee and Medical Director of high consequence pathogen response, virology, and molecular infectious disease at ARUP Laboratories.
View the briefing here.
View our FAQ on hantavirus.