13 people infected in rare U.S. outbreak of rat virus (Seoul virus)

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2017/...3971484946851/

8 people infected in rare U.S. outbreak of rat virus
By HealthDay News | Jan. 20, 2017 at 4:19 PM

FRIDAY, Jan. 20, 2017 -- Eight people who worked at several rat-breeding facilities in Illinois and Wisconsin have been infected with a virus not commonly found in the United States, federal health officials said Friday.

This is the first known outbreak of Seoul virus associated with pet rats in the United States, although there have been several outbreaks in wild rats, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Seoul virus is a member of the Hantavirus family of rodent-borne viruses and is carried by wild Norway rats worldwide...

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Source: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/health...tbreak-cdc-bn/

Pet rats in Illinois, Wisconsin linked to Seoul virus outbreak, CDC says
By Susan Scutti, CNN
Updated 5:11 PM ET, Fri January 20, 2017

(CNN)The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed Friday that pet rats are the source of an outbreak of Seoul virus infections in Illinois and Wisconsin. The virus has been confirmed in eight patients in an ongoing investigation.
The recent cases are "the first human cases we've seen in the United States associated with pet rats," said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, a veterinarian and deputy division director for CDC's division of high consequent pathogens and pathology. Several previous outbreaks reported in the US occurred in wild rats...

[Pathfinder]

Multi-state Outbreak of Seoul Virus

Updated: January 24, 2017

Highlights

CDC is assisting health officials in 12 states in investigating an outbreak of Seoul virus infection that has infected 8 people in Illinois and Wisconsin, after reports of illness in December 2016 in two individuals who operated a home-based rat-breeding facility in Wisconsin. One person was hospitalized. The ill individuals had purchased rats from animal suppliers in Wisconsin and Illinois. Trace-backs to two Illinois ratteries revealed six additional people who tested positive for Seoul virus. All individuals have recovered.

Follow-up investigations by CDC and partnering state and local health departments indicate that potentially infected rodents may have been distributed or received in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.


Investigation Updates

January 24, 2017 collapsed

CDC continues to work with Illinois, Wisconsin, and with the potentially affected states, to investigate an outbreak of Seoul virus infections among eight people in Illinois and Wisconsin who were exposed to infected rats in several rat-breeding facilities in those two states. No additional infections in people have been reported.

As of January 24th, the following states have been notified that that their residents may have infected rats:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Wisconsin

CDC is working with state health authorities to try to locate the rats and any people who may have been exposed to them in these states and test both people and rats for Seoul virus.

CDC’s current recommendations are:

1. CDC currently recommends blood testing for all people who report recent or current illness after:

• handling rats from a facility with laboratory-confirmed Seoul virus infection in either humans or rats, or
• handling rats from a facility that sold rats to a facility with Seoul virus infection.

Testing is also offered to persons with exposure to rats from a facility with Seoul virus infection that was confirmed by laboratory testing, or to persons with exposure to rats from a facility that sold rats to a facility with Seoul virus infection but where no illness was reported. All testing should be coordinated with the healthcare provider’s local or state health department.

2. People with potentially infected rats should not sell, trade, or release their rats. They should contact their state health department with any questions. Healthcare providers should emphasize the importance of safe animal practices with their patients.

3. Health care providers may also consider blood testing of patients with symptoms suggestive of Seoul virus infection and a history of rat contact, regardless of whether there is known interaction with rats or rat facilities with laboratory-confirmed Seoul virus infections.

The investigation continues and we will be updating this page as we learn more.

Two CDC epidemiologists arrived in Wisconsin on Jan. 18 to support the response efforts of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Illinois Department of Health. The CDC team will assist with trace-out investigations of clients who purchased rats from, or were otherwise exposed to, the home rat-breeding facilities, and will participate in trace-back investigation of facilities where the patient recently purchased rats. These efforts will help determine how the individuals were exposed to Seoul virus and allow public health officials to take actions needed to prevent potential future spread of the virus. CDC will also assist with testing blood samples from people and rats who may be infected with Seoul virus.

CDC encourages all pet owners and people who come in contact with rodents to practice healthy habits – handwashing, avoiding bites and scratches, providing routine veterinary care – to keep themselves and their pets healthy. See the CDC website Healthy Pets Healthy People.

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https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbr...rus/index.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.kaaltv.com/national/utah-...virus/4400765/

Rare Pet Rat Virus Confirmed in Utah
February 15, 2017 10:00 AM

PROVO, Utah (AP) - Utah health officials have confirmed the state's first case of an unusual virus carried by pet rats.

Officials said Tuesday the Seoul hantavirus already confirmed in 14 other states recently was detected in a Utah County resident who had direct contact with a former rat-breeding facility...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/life...state-outbreak


Seoul virus: Rat breeding facility in El Paso County linked to multi-state outbreak
Oscar Contreras
3:27 PM, Feb 16, 2017

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. ? A rat breeding facility in El Paso County is linked to a multi-state outbreak of the Seoul virus, according to El Paso County Public Health officials.

Two people in the county were also confirmed to be carrying the disease, health officials said Thursday...

[Shiloh]

Source: http://outbreaknewstoday.com/seoul-v...ns-rats-11220/

Seoul virus update: Seven states report virus in humans or rats
by Robert Herriman
February 16, 2017

In a follow-up on the Seoul virus multi-state outbreak in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) puts the human case tally at 13 as of Wednesday, up by two from last week.

CDC is assisting health officials in 15 states (Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin) n investigating the outbreak and has reported laboratory-confirmed Seoul virus positive results for humans or rats in seven states: Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin...

[Pathfinder]

Multi-state Outbreak of Seoul Virus

Updated: February 16, 2017

Highlights

CDC is assisting health officials in 16 states in investigating an outbreak of Seoul virus infection that has recently infected 13 people in 8 states.

Follow-up investigations by CDC and partnering state and local health departments indicate that potentially infected rodents may have been distributed or received in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

At A Glance

Number of laboratory-confirmed recent human cases of Seoul virus: 13

Number of states reporting laboratory-confirmed Seoul virus positive results for humans or rats: 8: CO, IL, MN, PA, SC, TN, UT, WI

States with ratteries currently under investigation: 16: AL, CO, GA, IL, IN, IA, LA, MI, MN, MO, ND, PA, SC, TN, UT, WI

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbreaks/seoul-virus/index.html

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.who.int/csr/don/20-februa...and-canada/en/


Seoul virus ? United States of America and Canada

Disease Outbreak News
20 February 2017

On 24 January 2017, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through their Health Alert Network (HAN) publication, reported 8 cases of infection with Seoul virus in the states of Wisconsin (n=2) and Illinois (n=6). The first two cases were reported in early December 2016, when two home-based pet rat breeders in Wisconsin State developed an acute febrile illness, later confirmed as Seoul virus infection. Rats (Rattus norvegicus) at some facilities also tested positive for Seoul virus. Human infection with Seoul virus is not commonly found in the United States; this virus family also includes Sin Nombre virus, which is the most common hantavirus causing disease in the United States. This is the first known outbreak associated with pet rats in the United States.
To date, a total of 11 people have been infected in the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Colorado. Two of the individuals were hospitalized. Seoul virus infection was also confirmed in pet rats from ratteries in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. Follow-up investigations indicate that potentially infected rats may have been distributed or received in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin. All investigations to date have indicated that the affected breeding facilities are limited to the pet rat trade. None of these ratteries supply (or have supplied) rats to research facilities.
In addition, follow-up investigations by the United States CDC and public health officials in Canada indicate that rats have been exchanged between the United States and Canada. According to the Canada IHR national focal point report of 10 February 2017, the Canadian rat breeding facilities under investigation exported rats to the United States and also imported rats from affected United States facilities. As of 10 February 2017, three positive human cases for the Hemorrhagic Fever Renal Syndrome (HFRS) group of hantaviruses, which includes Seoul, Hantaan, Puumala and Dobrava viruses, have been identified by serology in Canada. No serious illness was reported in these individuals. Two of the cases breed rats, and the third had contact with rats. Further laboratory testing and virus characterization is ongoing. Further epidemiologic investigation and testing of rats is planned.
Public health response

Health authorities both in the United States and Canada are implementing the following measures to respond to the outbreak:
Canada

• Further laboratory testing and virus characterization to confirm Seoul virus exposure in humans.
• Assessment of associated pet rat breeding facilities.
• Further epidemiological investigation and testing of rats.

United States of America

• The United States CDC and State Health Departments are collaborating to investigate the outbreak.
• Depopulation carried out in some affected ratteries.
• Investigations regarding the importation and exportation of the rats before the detection of the outbreak ongoing.

Information on Seoul virus

Seoul virus is a type of hantavirus that is transmitted from rats to humans after exposure to aerosolized urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents, or after exposure to dust from their nests or bedding. Transmission may also occur from rat bites or when contaminated materials are directly introduced into broken skin or onto mucous membranes. For Seoul virus, the natural host is the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus). This virus has been found in both pet rats and wild rat populations around the world. The incubation period varies from 1 to 8 weeks; however, most individuals develop symptoms within 1 to 2 weeks after exposure. Seoul virus infection symptoms can range from mild to severe. In the severe form of the disease, patients can exhibit bleeding and renal syndromes. Inapparent infections can also occur. Seoul virus infection is not transmissible from human to human. There is no effective treatment available for Seoul virus infection.
WHO risk assessment

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is the severe form of the infection with Seoul virus. The case fatality rate (CFR) among humans who develop HFRS due to Seoul virus ranges from 1-2%. Of the 11 cases reported in the United States so far, two were hospitalized and none have died.
Although the three HFRS cases in Canada are still under investigation, there is some evidence of an epidemiological link to the United States Seoul virus outbreak.
There is no available information on further distribution of the infected rats outside of the United States and Canada. Rats do not show symptoms of disease when they are infected with Seoul virus. Once infected, rats can continue to shed virus throughout their lives, potentially infecting other rats and humans. The United States CDC is working with state health departments in the United States and others to investigate the outbreak of Seoul virus infections in pet rats and humans, to trace shipments and transport of rats, some of which may be infected with Seoul virus, to better understand how the virus entered the pet trade and to interrupt transmission of Seoul virus to other rats and humans.
Because there is presently no effective treatment for Seoul virus infection, preventing infections in people is important.
If infected rodents have contact with local rat populations, the infection with Seoul virus could spread to non-infected rodents and consequently change the prevalence of this zoonotic disease, both in rodents and in humans.
WHO advice

International pet trade has the potential to spread and cause emerging or re-emerging disease in humans. WHO encourages State Parties to developed and maintain the capacity to detect, and report similar events.