Pet rats linked to outbreak of rare virus among breeders The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed Friday that pet rats are the source of an outbreak of the Seoul virus in Illinois and Wisconsin. The virus was confirmed in eight people in an ongoing investigation. The Seoul virus is a rodent-borne virus called a hantavirus. It is carried by wild Norway rats worldwide. People become infected when they come into contact with infectious body fluids (blood, saliva, urine) from infected rats or are bitten by them. Infection can also be caused by breathing in dust from infected rat droppings or urine. « The virus cannot be spread among people and cannot be transmitted to or from other types of pets, » says the Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, a veterinarian and deputy division director for CDC’s division of high consequent pathogens and pathology told « A home-based rodent breeder in Wisconsin was hospitalized in December 2016 with fever, headache and other symptoms, » the CDC said in a statement, reports A follow-up investigation at several rat breeders that supplied the initial patient’s rats revealed an additional six cases of Seoul virus at two Illinois rat breeding facilities. Anyone who recently purchased a rat in the affected areas and experiences Seoul virus symptoms should contact their healthcare provider immediately. Symptoms of Seoul virus infection can include fever, severe headache, back and abdominal pain, chills, blurred vision, redness of the eyes, or rash. In rare cases, an infection can also lead to acute renal disease. The CDC reminds us that anyone dealing with pet rodents should follow proper procedures when handling them, including washing hands with hot soapy water and cleaning rodent cages outside if at all possible. Experts from the CDC are working with the Illinois Department of Health and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to investigate cases of Seoul virus infections among eight people who worked at several rat-breeding facilities in the two states. The Seoul virus is a rodent-borne virus called a hantavirus. It is carried by wild Norway rats worldwide. People become infected when they come into contact with infectious body fluids (blood, saliva, urine) from infected rats or are bitten by them. Infection can also be caused by breathing in dust from infected rat droppings or urine. « The virus cannot be spread among people and cannot be transmitted to or from other types of pets, » says the CDC Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, a veterinarian and deputy division director for CDC’s division of high consequent pathogens and pathology told CNN the cases were the « the first human cases we’ve seen in the United States associated with pet rats. » She noted that several previous outbreaks in the U. S. were associated with wild rats. « A home-based rodent breeder in Wisconsin was hospitalized in December 2016 with fever, headache and other symptoms, » the CDC said in a statement, reports NBC News. A family member who worked with rodents also tested positive for the Seoul virus. Both people have since recovered. A follow-up investigation at several rat breeders that supplied the initial patient’s rats revealed an additional six cases of Seoul virus at two Illinois rat breeding facilities. Anyone who recently purchased a rat in the affected areas and experiences Seoul virus symptoms should contact their healthcare provider immediately. Symptoms of Seoul virus infection can include fever, severe headache, back and abdominal pain, chills, blurred vision, redness of the eyes, or rash. In rare cases, an infection can also lead to acute renal disease. The CDC reminds us that anyone dealing with pet rodents should follow proper procedures when handling them, including washing hands with hot soapy water and cleaning rodent cages outside if at all possible. seoul virus, hantavirus, rat breeders, rodentborne virus, first confirmed cases in US
