CDC has issued an HAN Health Alert on Seoul Virus, a hantavirus, which can be contracted from pet rates and can result in potentially fatal Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). The primary source of the Virus in the US is in the Midwest, but infected rats have been found in much of the US.
Seoul virus is transmitted from rats to people. People who become infected with this virus often exhibit relatively mild or no symptoms, but some develop HFRS (https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/hfrs), which can result in death in approximately 1–2% of HFRS cases. Symptoms include fever, severe headache, back and abdominal pain, chills, blurred vision, redness of the eyes, or rash. HFRS is characterized by a prodromal phase with non-specific symptoms and can progress to hypotension, decreased urine output, and renal failure, which often resolves after a diuretic phase. Coagulopathy and pulmonary edema are rare complications. Laboratory findings include low platelets, elevated white blood cell counts, electrolyte abnormalities, elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine, and proteinuria. Find the HAN notice at https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00400.asp .