Which statement best describes Seoul virus shedding duration after infection?

• A. It can persist long term after infection
• B. It ceases after the acute phase
• C. It occurs only in male rats
• D. It occurs only in laboratory settings

Answer: (A)

In the natural rat reservoir, Seoul virus infections tend to be persistent, with continued shedding long after the initial infection. The virus can persist in the host’s tissues (especially kidneys) and be shed in urine, and to a lesser extent in feces and saliva, for extended periods—months or even years—maintaining transmission risk in environments where rats thrive. This makes long-term shedding the best description of how Seoul virus behaves after infection.

The other ideas don’t fit: shedding doesn’t stop after an acute phase, it isn’t restricted to male rats, and it occurs in wild rat populations as well as in laboratory settings.