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Hantaflow
Old World hantavirus

Puumala virus

Puumala virus causes nephropathia epidemica, a mild form of HFRS endemic across northern and central Europe. Case rates rise with bank-vole population peaks driven by mast (beech/oak) seed years.

Profile

  • Short name: PUUV
  • Family: Old World
  • Reservoir: Bank vole (Myodes glareolus)
  • Primary region: Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Western Russia
  • Causes: Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS)
  • Case-fatality rate: <0.5% (mild HFRS, "nephropathia epidemica")
  • Person-to-person transmission: Not documented
  • Identified: 1980

Key facts

  • Reservoir: bank vole (Myodes glareolus).
  • Most common European hantavirus by case count.
  • Cyclical case peaks tied to forest mast years that boost vole populations.
  • Mortality is low; renal involvement usually resolves with supportive care.

Endemic in

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