Hussein Alburkat, Teemu Smura, Marie Bouilloud, Julien Pradel, Gwendoline Anfray, Karine Berthier, Lara Dutra, Anne Loiseau, Thanakorn Niamsap, Viktor Olander, Diana Sepulveda, Vinaya Venkat, Nathalie Charbonnel, Guillaume Castel, Tarja Sironen
BACKGROUND: Seoul virus (SEOV) is an orthohantavirus primarily carried by rats. In humans, it may cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Its incidence is likely underestimated and given the expansion of urban areas, a better knowledge of SEOV circulation in rat populations is called for. Beyond the need to improve human case detection, we need to deepen our comprehension of the ecological, epidemiological, and evolutionary processes involved in the transmission of SEOV. METHODOLOGY / PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a comprehensive serological and molecular characterization of SEOV in Rattus norvegicus in a popular urban park within a large city (Lyon, France) to provide essential information to design surveillance strategies regarding SEOV...
May 13, 2024: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases