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Virus profile

Seoul virus

SEOV · HFRS

Syndrome
HFRS
Reservoir
Brown rat
Region
Worldwide
CFR
approximately 1–2%
Reservoir & range

Rodent host: Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). Region: Worldwide (anywhere brown rats are present), with documented human cases on every inhabited continent. First identified: 1980, in Seoul, South Korea.

Overview

Seoul virus is unique among hantaviruses for its global distribution: its host, the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), follows human commerce and is now established in port cities and urban areas worldwide. Seoul virus causes a generally milder form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) than Hantaan virus, but with prominent liver involvement. Human cases have been linked both to wild urban-rat exposure and to pet rats — the 2017 multi-state outbreak in the United States traced infections to a network of breeders and home rat owners.

Tracked countries

Live risk index and news for countries where Seoul virus is documented or surveilled.

South KoreaChinaJapanVietnamIndonesiaPhilippinesUnited KingdomUnited States

Notable outbreaks

  1. 2017
    United States and Canada (multistate)

    First confirmed Seoul virus cases linked to pet rats in the US, with infections traced through a network of breeders and home rat owners; followed by linked cases in Canada.

  2. 2018
    United Kingdom

    Multi-case cluster also tied to pet rats, prompting Public Health England guidance on rat-handling hygiene.

FAQ

Seoul virus: questions answered

What is Seoul virus?
Seoul virus is a hantavirus carried by brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and found wherever brown rats are established, which is essentially the whole world. It causes a generally milder form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome than Hantaan virus, with prominent liver involvement.
Where does Seoul virus occur?
Seoul virus has the broadest geographic distribution of any hantavirus because its rodent host has accompanied global shipping and urbanisation. Confirmed human cases have been reported in East Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa.
Can pet rats transmit Seoul virus?
Yes. Multi-country outbreaks since 2017 have been linked to pet-rat networks. Public-health agencies recommend that people handling pet rats wash hands after contact, ventilate housing, and avoid breathing dust from rat bedding.
How is Seoul virus diagnosed?
Diagnosis is by serology (IgM and IgG against Seoul virus antigens) and PCR on blood or tissue. Clinically, it should be considered in any patient with fever, headache, and acute kidney or liver dysfunction who has had recent rat contact.

Other hantavirus strains

Sin Nombre virusHPS
Deer mouse · North America (especially the
Andes virusHPS
Long-tailed pygmy rice rat · Southern South America (Argentina,
Puumala virusHFRS
Bank vole · Northern, central, and western
Hantaan virusHFRS
Striped field mouse · East Asia (China, Korean
Reference

Read more: What is hantavirus · Symptoms · Transmission · Prevention · Historical outbreaks