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Hantaflow
Old World hantavirus

Seoul virus

Seoul virus is the only hantavirus with effectively global distribution, carried by brown rats that travel with human commerce. It causes a milder form of HFRS and has been implicated in outbreaks linked to pet rats.

Profile

  • Short name: SEOV
  • Family: Old World
  • Reservoir: Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus)
  • Primary region: Worldwide (urban), East Asia, Europe, Americas
  • Causes: Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS)
  • Case-fatality rate: ~1–2% (HFRS, mild form)
  • Person-to-person transmission: Not documented
  • Identified: 1980

Key facts

  • Reservoir: brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) — present worldwide, including ports and cities.
  • Causes a milder form of HFRS (sometimes called "ratborne nephropathia").
  • Outbreaks have been documented among pet-rat owners and breeders (US, UK).
  • Globally distributed because the host travels with shipping and trade.

Endemic in

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