Seoul virus

Seoul virus (SEOV) is a species of hantavirus that can cause a form of hemorrhagic fever.

It is carried by rats and accounts for ~25% of cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Asia.

It was first described by Dr. Lee Ho-Wang (Ho-Wang Lee), a Korean virologist. It was originally thought that hemorrhagic fever was caused by contact with field mice (Genus "Apodemus"), but Dr. Lee found that it could also be caused by contact with brown rats ("Rattus norvegicus"). As it was first found in an apartment in Seoul, this virus was named "Seoul Virus".