What are Seoul virus symptoms in humans?

Mild-to-moderate HFRS — fever, headache, back pain, transient kidney involvement and sometimes liver enzyme elevation. Case-fatality is under 1–2%, much milder than Hantaan.

Can pet rats give you Seoul virus?

Yes. Multi-state pet-rat / rattery outbreaks have been reported by the CDC and Public Health England. Buy from screened breeders, avoid wild-caught rodents, wash hands.

Species

Seoul virus (SEOV)

The only hantavirus with a near-global distribution, because its reservoir — the brown rat — is on every continent. Most Seoul-virus disease is mild compared to Hantaan, but pet-rat clusters in the US and UK have repeatedly put it in the news.

Quick facts

Family / genus: Hantaviridae / Orthohantavirus
Reservoir: Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus); black rat (R. rattus)
Range: Worldwide — wherever brown rats live
Disease: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), milder form; sometimes with hepatic involvement
Case-fatality: <1–2%
Vaccine: Covered by Chinese bivalent inactivated vaccine (Hantaan + Seoul)

Symptoms

Sudden fever, headache, back/flank pain.
Transient kidney injury — usually less severe than Hantaan.
Liver enzyme elevation is more common with Seoul than other hantaviruses.
Most cases recover with supportive care; severe HFRS is uncommon.

Pet-rat clusters — the modern Seoul-virus story

Because brown rats are global, Seoul virus has shown up in surprising places:

2017 — United States: CDC investigated multi-state pet-rat / rattery cases in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and beyond.
2018–2019 — United Kingdom: Public Health England identified Seoul-virus infections in pet-rat owners.
Wild-caught rats are a much higher-risk source than reputable rattery rats. Cleanliness, hand-washing and screened breeders sharply lower exposure.

Urban & occupational exposure

In dense urban areas with brown-rat populations — sewers, subways, food warehouses — there is some background Seoul-virus exposure risk for workers. Seroprevalence studies have detected antibodies in inner-city residents, occupational groups and laboratory rat colonies (a historic source of researcher infections).

Diagnosis & treatment

Diagnosis is by serology and RT-PCR. Treatment is supportive; IV ribavirin has been used in severe cases. The Chinese bivalent inactivated vaccine covers Seoul virus, but no Seoul-specific vaccine is licensed in the US or EU. More on vaccines →

FAQ

Where is Seoul virus found?

On every continent — wherever brown rats are. Documented human clusters in East Asia, the US, the UK and continental Europe.

Can you get Seoul virus from pet rats?

Yes — uncommon but documented. The CDC and PHE have investigated multi-state and UK clusters. Reputable breeders test their colonies.

What are Seoul virus symptoms?

Milder HFRS — fever, headache, back pain, transient kidney injury, often with elevated liver enzymes.

How is Seoul virus different from Hantaan?

Both are Old World hantaviruses, but Seoul is global (rat-borne), generally milder, more associated with hepatic involvement, and the only hantavirus widely found in dense urban environments.