Where hantavirus has been found (by major clinical relevance)
Hantaviruses occur worldwide: HPS in the Americas and HFRS in Europe and Asia, with rodent reservoirs present across nearly all continental U.S., much of North/South America, Europe, and Asia; Seoul virus in Norway rats is cosmopolitan. 1
Americas (Hantavirus Pulmonary/Cardiopulmonary Syndrome, highest mortality impact)
- United States: Widespread across most states via deer mouse (Sin Nombre virus) and other sigmodontine rodents; HPS recognized throughout the contiguous U.S. 1
- Canada, Mexico, and Central/South America: Multiple sigmodontine rodent hosts; Andes virus in South America (noted for severe disease and rare person-to-person transmission) 1
Europe and Asia (Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, major morbidity burden)
Global urban/port settings
- Seoul virus in Norway rats: Infection detected in rats worldwide (including U.S.); human disease mainly reported in Asia but risk exists wherever Rattus norvegicus is established (ports, dense urban areas) 1
South America (additional detail with mortality relevance)
Broader host discoveries (epidemiologic nuance; limited proven human impact to date)
- Shrews, moles, and bats with diverse hantaviruses across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas; human pathogenicity largely unproven for bat-borne viruses 4
Common pitfalls/caveats
- HPS is restricted to the Americas due to its sigmodontine rodent reservoirs; HFRS predominates in Europe/Asia with different rodent hosts—don’t conflate syndromes across regions 1.
- Seoul virus exposure can occur globally via commensal rats, including in cities and ports; maintain suspicion outside “rural” settings 1.
- Within the U.S., nearly all continental regions overlap with one or more rodent hosts—risk is not limited to the Southwest outbreak footprint 1.